Denis Villeneuve is a filmmaker with a bold philosophy: no cell phones, no distractions, no exceptions.
On his sets, the Dune director enforces a strict digital detox, turning his production environment into a focused and tech-free zone.
Dennis Villeneuve Believes Cinema is an Art that Demands Full Presence
“Cinema is an act of presence,” the Academy Award-nominated director said. “When a painter paints, he has to be absolutely focused on the color he’s putting on the canvas.”
“It’s the same with the dancer when he does a gesture. With a filmmaker, you have to do that with a crew, and everybody has to focus and be entirely in the present, listening to each other, being in relationship with each other,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
Villeneuve added, “So cellphones are banned on my set too, since day one. It’s forbidden. When you say cut, you don’t want someone going to his phone to look at his Facebook account.”
Dennis Villeneuve Explained Another Reason Why He’s Against Technology at Times
This isn’t just about curbing social media scrolls between takes. Villeneuve sees a larger issue with how technology shapes human behavior.
He argues that society has become trapped in algorithmic thinking, reducing life to rigid binaries and eroding genuine connection.
“I feel that human beings are ruled by algorithms right now,” Villeneuve said. “We behave like AI circuits. The ways we see the world are narrow-minded binaries. We’re disconnecting from each other, and society is crumbling in some ways. It’s frightening.”
Always-on communication, he suggests, isn’t liberating—it’s addictive, compulsive, and isolating. He’s even admitted to fantasizing about unplugging from the digital world entirely, calling it “fresh air.”
Villeneuve’s commitment to undistracted storytelling is reflected in his work, most notably his grand adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune.
The 2021 film, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Oscar Isaac, wowed audiences with its epic scale and meticulous detail.
The sequel, released in March 2024, expanded on that vision, bringing in new heavyweights like Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Fans were thrilled to see Zendaya step into a larger role after her limited screen time in the first installment, while Chalamet praised her energy as a game-changer on set.
“She was like a breath of fresh air,” the ‘A Complete Unknown’ star said in a joint October 2021 interview with the actress. “She had a great energy.”
But Villeneuve isn’t stopping at two films. He’s already sketching the blueprint for a third installment based on Herbert’s ‘Dune: Messiah.’
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