Steven Soderbergh Burned 44 Years of Notebooks and Says It ‘Was the Right Thing to Do’

Acclaimed filmmaker Steven Soderbergh revealed in an interview with IndieWire that he recently destroyed 44 years' worth of personal notebooks and is now giving away his extensive movie poster collection, describing the act of letting go as 'the right thing to do.' The director, known for films like 'Ocean's Eleven' and 'Traffic,' explained that these decisions were part of a conscious effort to declutter his life and legacy, freeing himself from the physical and psychological weight of accumulated possessions. Soderbergh's purge of the notebooks, which spanned his entire career from his teenage years onward, represents a dramatic severing of a personal archive. He described the notebooks as containing everything from early script ideas and storyboards to personal reflections and logistical notes from his productions. While some might view this as the loss of a valuable historical record, Soderbergh framed it as a liberating act, allowing him to move forward without being tethered to the past. He suggested that the creative process itself, not its artifacts, holds the true value. In the same conversation, Soderbergh connected this philosophy to a setting in his upcoming film 'The Christophers,' starring Ian McKellen. He identified the cluttered, possession-filled house of McKellen's character as his 'worst nightmare,' a visual metaphor for the burden he himself is seeking to shed. The decision to give away his prized poster collection extends this theme, shifting from destruction to purposeful redistribution. He intends for the posters to find new homes where they can be appreciated, rather than remain stored away, further emphasizing his commitment to a less encumbered existence as he continues his prolific directing career.