I guess I’m influenced by artists whose work has made a deep impact on me... Tarkovsky is a great example. I can think of a handful of his films that are just remarkable achievements. 'The Mirror' is one of my favourites, but it’s a difficult film to categorise. I loved Tarkovsky's work very much. I think it's very difficult to make films that can be compared to dreams... And 'The Mirror' is one of those films that is incredibly dream-like.
It's like a dream, it's very mysterious. I wanted to create an aesthetic for Arrival that will bring me closer to these kinds of dream-like images.
— Denis Villeneuve · TIFF Bell Lightbox Q&A with Denis Villeneuve