significance. The Message is a film depicting the initial years of Islam. To respect the beliefs of some Muslims about depictions of Muhammad, the prophet and members of his family are not shown. His presence is conveyed through characters repeating his words or, when action requires his intervention, it is filmed from his point of view. The Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu is also famous for his use of ellipsis. Important people or events would be omitted in his narration, leaving what has happened evident to audiences only through subsequent dialogue. For example, in Late Spring (1949), Noriko is shown about to leave for her wedding in her kimono, while the next scene shows Mr. Somiya in a bar after the wedding. References Literary terminology Narrative techniques