European Cinema and Continental Philosophy: Film As Thought Experiment

This book explores how contemporary cinema contributes to political and philosophical thinking about the future of Europe's core Enlightenment values, interrogating the borders of ethics and politics and defining a cinema that knows it is no longer a competitor to Hollywood. It discusses key filmmakers and philosophers, such as Claire Denis and Jean-Luc Nancy, Aki Kaurismäki, Michael Haneke, Fatih Akin, Alain Badiou, and Jacques Rancière, and assesses European cinema's key questions within a global context.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 29 November 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This groundbreaking volume for the Thinking Cinema series delves into the profound impact of contemporary cinema on political and philosophical discourse concerning the future of Europe's core Enlightenment values. In the face of the complexities of globalization, multicultural communities, and post-nation-state democracy, the book explores the boundaries of ethics and politics, drawing inspiration from debates about post-secular, post-Enlightenment philosophy. By defining a cinema that recognizes its distinct identity from Hollywood (i.e., the traditional self-other construction), Elsaesser goes beyond the allure of self-exoticism or auto-ethnography, which often tempts national cinemas in a globalized world. Through a comprehensive discussion of key filmmakers and philosophers, including Claire Denis and Jean-Luc Nancy, Aki Kaurismäki, abjection, Julia Kristeva, Michael Haneke, the paradoxes of Christianity, Slavoj Zizek, Fatih Akin, Alain Badiou, and Jacques Rancière, Elsaesser offers a unique perspective on European cinema. By integrating political and philosophical thinking, he provides a solid foundation for future debates in film philosophy, shaping the discourse for years to come.

Weight: 552g
Dimension: 154 x 228 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781441182210