5 Films to Train Your Attention Span
We hear it all the time: our attention spans are shrinking.
You may have first heard the sentiment when you were glued to your TV as a kid. Or when you were caught doodling instead of paying attention in class. But you’ve definitely heard it since smartphones became part of daily life. And according to research cited by the American Psychological Association, the average adult attention span may be down to under a minute.
With digital distractions waiting at every corner, it’s easy to feel scattered. But there’s one kind of screen time that still rewards full focus: movies.
Whether you’re looking to prolong your patience, test your observation skills, or just slow down your mind, we’ve got five films to help you train your focus through the power of great filmmaking.
Russian Ark (2002, Alexander Sokurov)
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to watch a movie in one continuous take? Russian Ark does exactly that with a single, uninterrupted 96-minute shot through the lush halls of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The result is a meditative film where every shot matters as a loose narrative unfurls in real time, putting you at the heart of the action just by observing. It’s a perfect choice for an exercise in sustained attention. (Did we mention it’s also visually gorgeous?)
The Straight Story (1999, David Lynch)
Straightforward, heartfelt storytelling might not be what comes to mind when you think of David Lynch, but The Straight Story shows a gentler and more reflective work by the late director. This 112-minute film features Alvin, who takes a long, storied road trip to visit his brother… via tractor. Of course there are some trademark Lynchian moments along the way, but at its heart, The Straight Story offers a chance to slowly explore characters and landscapes you might otherwise overlook. Watching it is like taking a deep breath for your mind.
News from Home (1976, Chantal Akerman)
Finding your way alone in a new environment to pursue your dreams – sound familiar to any film students out there? News from Home was created by a then 21-year old Chantal Akerman, who had just moved to New York City from Belgium, picking up odd jobs to support her forays into filmmaking. This quietly mesmerizing 88-minute film pairs long, static shots of Manhattan streets with Akerman reading letters from her mother back in Belgium. There’s no conventional story, just the rhythm of the city and the intimacy of her voice. It trains your attention by asking you to linger, notice small details in the environment, and connect subtle emotional cues. It’s perfect for strengthening focus in a world that’s always rushing.
Moonlight (2016, Barry Jenkins)
This beautifully quiet, visually poetic 111-minute film follows one young man’s life in three chapters. Its pacing is deliberate, with lingering shots and subtle gestures that carry deep emotional weight. Watching Moonlight trains your attention by encouraging you to notice small expressions, body language, and the unspoken connections between characters. It’s immersive, rewarding, and a perfect example of how slow, thoughtful storytelling can teach both patience and craft.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019, Céline Sciamma)
A delicately composed, slow-burning 120-minute romance between a painter and her subject in 18th-century France where every glance, gesture, and brushstroke carries meaning. Sciamma rewards viewers who slow down and pay attention, and the film trains your focus by asking you to notice subtle emotions and visual details, turning quiet observation into a rich, immersive experience.
Whether you pick one or watch all five, these films are an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and see how much your brain can notice when you really focus. So turn off your notifications, settle in, and let these films stretch your attention in the best possible way.