This workshop will produce several short films based on various interpretations of a dialogue "On Walking and Crying" by Mikhail Epstein.
Mikhail Epstein, Emory University.
The workshop will attempt to explore some aspects of "dialogue" in film, where "dialogue" is not limited to words.
The assumption is that the traditional way of presenting dialogue on screen is inadequate, that human interaction is far more complex and interesting than its usual screen rendering. Therefore, before filming the dialogue, we would love to hear from philosophers comments and suggestions. After the films are produced we would like to seek their feedback as well.
I'd prefer the comments to be short (a few paragraphs, up to half a page) and not too complicated, ideally they would help in making practical decisions on how to film the Epstein's dialogue in a fresh way, to show what to emphasize and how to understand its message.
Mikhail Epstein - On Walking and Crying
A. Let's go for a walk.
B. I cannot walk. I want to cry.
A. ?
B. I cannot walk and cry at the same time. I need to stand still when I am crying.
A. To cry about what?
B. We have nowhere to go. We have this place, and th?t's all.
A. Let's walk and cry together. That would be easier to do.
B. (walking) It's easier to laugh when you are walking.
A. Let's move faster, and then we could laugh.
B. It is funny indeed - to walk so fast. I'm laughing.
A. I'm laughing too. Let's run.
B. (running) Oh my goodness, how happy we are!
In addition to making the comments available to the workshop participants, we would like to post them on-line, and later perhaps include them in a publication
dealing with the Philosophical Film Festival.
e-mail:
I hope that this project can initiate further explorations of the common ground between images and ideas.
Paweł Kuczyński
www.youtube.com/hermesnow