Meaning: Robert Bresson, a French film director known for his profound influence on the art of cinema, expressed his creative process in a thought-provoking manner with the quote, "My movie is born first in my head, dies on paper; is resuscitated by the living persons and real objects I use, which are killed on film but, placed in a certain order and projected on to a screen, come to life again like flowers in water." This quote encapsulates the intricate and multi-layered nature of the filmmaking process, as well as the transformative power of cinema.

In the first part of the quote, Bresson alludes to the initial stage of the filmmaking process, where the conception of a story and its visual representation takes place within the confines of the director's mind. This phase is characterized by the birth of ideas, the visualization of scenes, and the development of characters, all of which exist in the realm of imagination. However, as Bresson suggests, these abstract concepts "die on paper," indicating the challenge of translating the richness of mental imagery into a tangible form.

The subsequent part of the quote delves into the process of bringing the film to life through the utilization of "living persons and real objects," which serve as essential components in the realization of the director's vision. Bresson's use of the term "resuscitated" emphasizes the role of actors, props, and settings in breathing life into the narrative, transforming the abstract into the palpable. This stage of production involves the collaboration and interaction between the director, the cast, and the physical elements that constitute the film's mise-en-scène.

The quote then takes a striking turn as Bresson describes the act of capturing these living elements on film as being "killed," a metaphorical representation of the transformation that occurs when the three-dimensional world is translated into the two-dimensional plane of the screen. This process involves a degree of detachment from the original reality, as the living persons and real objects are recontextualized within the confines of the cinematic frame.

Bresson's evocative language in the final part of the quote illuminates the transcendent nature of cinema. The arrangement of these "killed" elements in a specific order and their projection onto a screen symbolizes the alchemical power of filmmaking. The juxtaposition of images, the manipulation of time and space, and the orchestration of sound and music coalesce to imbue the lifeless frames with a sense of vitality. Bresson's comparison of this process to "flowers in water" evokes a sense of beauty and rejuvenation, suggesting that cinema has the capacity to breathe new life into the inert images, much like flowers blooming when submerged in water.

In conclusion, Robert Bresson's quote encapsulates the intricate journey of a film from its inception in the director's mind to its resurrection on the screen. It serves as a testament to the transformative power of cinema, where intangible ideas are transmuted into tangible forms, and where the act of creation and destruction coalesce to give rise to a new form of existence. Bresson's words offer a profound insight into the mystical and evocative nature of filmmaking, inviting audiences to contemplate the magic that occurs when stories, characters, and imagery converge to create a world that is both ephemeral and enduring.