Sculpting in Time

Andrei Tarkovsky's argument here is that cinema is an art in itself, it is independent. It doesn't need the help of painting, theater or literature in composition, acting methods or screenwriting.

It's noticeable that Tarkovsky suffered, among other things, from his artistic sensitivity, which made reading some parts unbearable, which made me stop reading it for days.

There are many gems in this book regarding art, film and poetry. The introduction alone is a good example. This book is a must read for filmmakers and film critics.