“A Novelist by the Sea" is a 2023 film directed by Benjamin Gan. The movie explores themes of creation and literature through a blend of realism and fantasy. It consists of three parts, each focusing on different aspects of a writer's life and challenges.
A Novelist by the Sea: A novelist meets a fan by the sea and reads his novel to the fan, but the story keeps repeating itself.
It Isn't Metafiction: A writer creates a metafictional story at the request of a reader, exploring the nature and limitations of metafiction.
Leo in the City: A writer publishes a book with a bizarre story, leading to readers getting trapped in a movie theater.
The film, which won the Best Director Award in the Florence Film Award 2024, has been praised for its poetic storytelling and use of various narrative devices like metaphor, symbol, and foreshadowing.