This month, we go off the beaten path and ask contributors to write about films they’re thankful they got to experience for one reason or another.
While we at The Spool like to take a month to meticulously dig through the long resume of an auteur’s filmography, we’re trying something different this time around. As summer gives way to fall, and cooler temperatures and shorter days force us inside with our thoughts more often, this time of year lends itself nicely to reflection. What’s more, we’re coming up on Thanksgiving, the ultimate expression of gratitude, fellowship, and way too much gravy.
Instead of taking on another filmmaker’s oeuvre, we decided instead to reflect on the movies that have changed us for the better, the movies we’re thankful for. Art can have an incredible impact on our lives: it can comfort us in times of need; it can open up new avenues of thought; it can pave the way for self-reflection and a better understanding of ourselves. And film is certainly no exception.
With that in mind, consider November the month of being thankful for the movies that have helped shape your perception, changed your mind, offered a cinematic shoulder to cry on. To commemorate Thanksgiving, we’re asking several of our contributors to offer up personal essays expressing why a particular film of theirs is important to them: it could connect them to a loved one, or make them understand something deeper about themselves. The brief is wide, and the possibilities endless. We hope you’ll stick around all month and take the journey with us.