‘I’m Like Anybody…’: Denis Villeneuve On Why He Doesn’t Allow Cell Phones On Sets While Filming Movies

Denis Villeneuve recently opened up about why he does not allow cell phones on the movie sets.

Written by Tejas Mundhada , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Dec 27, 2024 | 07:18 PM IST | 42.8K

Denis Villeneuve about his no cell phone rule

Denis Villeneuve (Getty)

Denis Villeneuve is one of the highly respected directors in the Hollywood film industry. With his mind-bending outings having a very peculiar take, the filmmaker even has an intriguing rule for those present on his movie sets.

Explaining to the Los Angeles Times, the director of Prisoners explained, “Cinema is an act of presence.”

Relating the job of making a film with painting, the art form where a “painter paints, he has to be absolutely focused on the color he’s putting on the canvas,” as well as talking about how a dancer has to be perfect with his gestures, Villeneuve added that while making a movie, the director has to be precise with his crew.

Villeneuve then went on to add that everyone present for the film has to be focused and entirely be “in the present.” The Blade Runner 2049 director went on to add that the actors and crew have to listen to each other and interact with the people present on the movie set.

“So cellphones are banned on my set, too, since Day 1. It’s forbidden. When you say cut, you don’t want someone going to his phone to look at his Facebook account,” Denis Villeneuve detailed his rule.

Further talking to the outlet, the filmmaker who has also given us movies such as Arrival maintained, “I’m like anybody. There’s something addictive about the fact that you can access any information, any song, any book.”

Calling the mobile phones with internet “compulsive” and a device that also acts like a dr*g, Villeneuve asserted that he always disconnects himself and breathes “fresh air.”

Villeneuve recently delivered two epic space operas, Dune, back in 2021 and Dune: Part Two, which was released this year. While the first entry grabbed a whopping six Oscars, the features made a combined profit of $1.12 billion globally.

The Dune series stars Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani as well as Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, along with a grand cast that also includes Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, and more.