The Aesthetics of Everyday Life: An Evaluation of the Film Perfect Days in the Context of Zen Philosophy

In this study, the 2023 film Perfect Days is examined through the lens of Zen philosophy, focusing on the aesthetic dimension of everyday life. The research problem is defined as identifying which fundamental concepts of Zen thought are reflected in the film. The study demonstrates that a deep understanding of daily routines contributes to the individual’s process of self-realization. In this context, Perfect Days was selected as the sample of the study due to its inclusion of concepts associated with Zen philosophy.A qualitative research method was adopted, and thematic analysis was employed as the data analysis technique. Alongside the concept of komorebi, which was introduced for the first time in the film, core Zen concepts such as zazen and emptiness were examined through dialogues and visual narrative elements using thematic analysis.The findings indicate that Perfect Days successfully conveys the aesthetics and rituals of Zen philosophy from a cinematographic perspective. In conclusion, the film explores Zen thought and the aesthetics of everyday life in depth, emphasizing the importance of perceiving the beauty of the present moment as a way of offering cinema an original and distinctive perspective.