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Philosophy and Cinema

  • Full title: Realism in cinema: when André Bazin and Andrey Zvyagintsev met by the river
  • Dates: May 25-26, 2024, 11:00am-3:00pm
  • Location:  CHS Greece, Nafplio
  • Organized by: CHS Greece
  • Open to: All (limited number of places)
  • Language: Greek
  • Application period: March 19-April 21, 2024
  • Academic Coordination:  Pavlos Kontos (Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Patras)
  • Activity Administration: Matina Goga (CHS Greece)

About the workshop

Overview

CHS Greece, through its annual workshop series, which aims to support Hellenic Studies and the broader field of Humanities and to offer intergenerational, interdisciplinary, lifelong learning opportunities to the public, organizes the workshop "Realism in cinema: when André Bazin and Andrey Zvyagintsev met by the river."

The workshop is part of the broader theme “Philosophy and Cinema” and, therefore, starts from a paradox: what is the relationship between philosophy as a science and cinema as art, and what do we mean today when we state that cinema is a sort of philosophy? This initial question will become more concrete and tangible in two stages: (1) The workshop will focus on André Bazin –whose contribution to film theory was decisive and is still today a point of reference– and his positing that cinema is genuine and true only insofar as it is "realistic." What does "realism (réalisme)" mean for Bazin? How resistant is his position to the critical objections raised by contemporary film theorists? (2) Based on this theoretical groundwork, we will "read" Andrey Zvyagintsev's great film The Return (Russia, 2003, 105').

The workshop’s subtitle, "When André Bazin and Andrey Zvyagintsev met by the river," constructs an imaginary encounter, exploiting the former's use of the river metaphor (actually, he refers to a stream) to describe “his” realism, while in the latter's film, the sequence with the child on the bridge over the river is a high example of cinematic "realism."

Poster of a workshop on Philosophy and Cinema with information about the place and dates of the workshop, the title, the theme and the portrait of the coordinator and a reference to the organiser. At the top, a still from Andrey Zvyagintsev's film 'The Return' (Russia, 2003, 105'), which depicts two young boys on a boat in a river.

Thematic areas – Workshop structure

The approach to the workshop's topic will be structured around the following thematic axes:

Day One

  • Philosophy and cinema
  • Philosophical concepts of cinematic realism
  • The polysemy of realism in André Bazin

Day Two

  • André Bazin's realism in the programmatic text: "The ontology of the cinematographic image" (1945, 19582. Écrits Complets II, Paris: Éditions Macula, 2018, pp. 2554-2557)
  • Critical objections and defense
  • "Reading" of Andrey Zvyagintsev's film The Return (Russia, 2003, 105')

During the workshop meetings, the academic coordinator will introduce the above topics, and participants are invited to contribute actively to the group's discussions. In addition, ten days before the workshop, participants will receive (a) the above Bazin's text translated into Modern Greek (and the French original) which is a required reading and (b) relevant reading material that they may optionally study in advance.

Participants have two options for watching Andrey Zvyagintsev's film The Return (Russia, 2003, 105'): either to have already seen it (which is recommended) or to watch it on Saturday afternoon/evening, May 25, at CHS Greece.

Learn more about the workshop's objectives and participation process (in Greek).