Ma is one of the key aesthetic concepts in Japanese culture. In Japanese, it is written with the character 間 and carries various meanings, such as “space (between two elements)”, “interval”, and “pause”. It is a concept encompassing both temporal and spatial dimensions, representing a void with hidden meaning. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the depiction of the Japanese concept of ma in the film Perfect Days by director Wim Wenders. The thesis employs an empirical qualitative approach, centered on the analysis of the film. The first part discusses "pillow shots", while the second focuses on the analysis of three selected narrative shots. This is a deeper approach, where I study interpersonal interactions and intimate moments of characters through multimodal discourse analysis and elements of multimodal conversation analysis. The analysis showed that pillow shots evoking the concept of ma are important for the rhythmization of the narrative. Within narrative shots, ma proved to be a key element in communication, helping to defuse sensitive conversations. On a cinematic level, it represents a moment that allows for the emergence and development of characters' emotional states and introspection, while also directing the viewer's focus toward more subtle yet important elements of communication. Filmic devices such as eye-level angles, semi-close-ups and close-ups, the use of color and light, and music contribute to the effective manifestation of ma and enhance the viewing experience.
|
