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Why Philosophy Has Always Needed Cinema? Cinematic Philosophy: Lecture 1
35:17
Tal S. Shamir, PhD - Cinematic Philosophy

Why Philosophy Has Always Needed Cinema? Cinematic Philosophy: Lecture 1

In this first lecture of the *Cinematic Philosophy* series, award-winning filmmaker and scholar Tal S. Shamir, Ph.D., explores the deep, often overlooked bond between cinema and philosophy. This episode explores why philosophy has always needed cinema—not simply as a tool for illustration but as a fundamental medium for philosophical expression. Shamir challenges traditional methods, diving into the concept of thought experiments (TEs) and revealing how these cinematic narratives are embedded in the history of philosophy itself, from Plato’s Cave to Schrödinger’s Cat. This investigation offers a unique perspective on the potential of cinema to illuminate philosophical ideas, moving beyond thought experiments to the power of "seeing" philosophy as an in-action event. Join us as we unravel cinematic evidence within philosophical thinking. This episode is dedicated to Maxi's memory. This lecture is based on concepts from Shamir’s groundbreaking book, "Cinematic Philosophy" (2016, Palgrave Macmillan). https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-33473-8 Chapters 0:00- Introduction & Lecture goals. 2:56- Key terms: cinema and philosophy. 7:20- Establish cinema as a new platform for philosophy. 8:40- Traditional methodology for film and philosophy. 10:58- Asking a different question: why philosophy has always needed cinema? 13:14- Connecting thought experiments and films. 15:10- Turning the exploration on its head: searching for cinematic evidence within philosophy. 16:19- Plato’s allegory of the Cave. 18:23- Titus Lucretius’s infinite space. 19:33- Isaac Newton’s cannonball. 21:22- A pattern of thinking cinematically within the history of philosophy. 23:41- Are thought experiments cinematic? 26:08- Thought experiments signify a need to think cinematically. 27:39- Traditional thought experiments vs cinematic thought experiments. 30:54- Example: Imagining vs seeing/experiencing. 31:44- Summary of lecture. 33:54- In the next episode: Cinesophia. 34:59- End titles & Dedicated to the memory of Maxi. Music XPOSURE Main theme by Andrew Pomeroy Uri Shamir’s Jazz ChunkyMonkey by ShtrikerBigBand Play-play-play by Shtriker-big-band Continent by ANBR Main Visuals "Race Horse” (1878) by Eadweard Muybridge. "The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station” (1895) by Louis Lumière. “Modern Times” (1936), by Charlie Chaplin. Main Paintings Number 28, (1950), Jackson Pollock The Death of Socrates, (1787) Jacques Louis David French, Isaac Newton, (1702), by Sir Godfrey Kneller René Descartes, (2020), by Uri Shamir School of Athens (1509-1511) by Raphael
The Vermeers
04:46
Tal S. Shamir

The Vermeers

The Vermeers suggests a contemporary engagement with Jan Vermeer’s paintings (1632-1675) via a digital platform. It is an attempt to merge content of the art-film with the structure of the film-trailer. The desire is to contemplate on Vermeer’s paintings from a different and unexpected POV - loyal to the source but true to the technological evolution. Notable Film Festivals 1. Student Academy Awards, Gold Medal Winner, Alternative category, (Los Angeles, USA) 2. FIFA International Festival of Films on Art, (Montreal, Canada) 3. Uppsala Short Film Festival, Sweden 4. Epos Art Film Festival, Israel 5. Teheran Short Film Festival, Iran 6. BeFilm Festival, Winner Experimental Category, NYC 7. Triennale for Contemporary Art (2013-2014), Izmir, Turkey 8. Izmir Short Film Festival, Turkey 9. Athens ANIMFEST, Greece 10. Sedicicorto International Film Festival, Italy 11. Coney Island Film Festival, NYC 12. Re/Mix Media Film Festival, USA 13. Katra Film Series, NYC 14. TKRA Aquariuss Short Film Festival, Bangalore, India 15. Prokuplje Short Film Festival, Serbia 16. Ojai Film Festival, USA 17. San Joaquin International Film Festival, USA, 18. Shqip Film Festival, Kosovo 19. Warsaw Short Film Festival, Poland 20. Efebocorto Film Festival, Italy 21. CMS International Childrens Film Festival, India 22. Emerging Filmmakers Series, USA 23. Festiwal Filmu Filozoficznego, Poland 24. The School of Media Studies 40th Years Anniversary USA, 00:04:37 Director/editor/DP Tal S. Shamir, Art director and producer Dr. Ruth B. Shamir Music by Mark Roos Sound Design Murray Stiller Actors Lisa Madison and Giuseppe Solinas www.talshamir.com tritshak@yahoo.com
Di-framing Vermeers
 @  A Taste of Art Gallery
00:46
Tal S. Shamir, PhD - Cinematic Philosophy

Di-framing Vermeers
 @ A Taste of Art Gallery

Di-framing Vermeers exhibition centers on re-experiencing the art of the past through digital technology. It proposes to exhibit Jan Vermeer's paintings (1632-1675) in a digital environment, by surrounding the audience with a digitalized/fragmentized moving as well as a static version of Vermeer's images. This digital environment attempts to extend - the traditional static contemplation into a visual elastic contemplation, while offering a continues chorographical play of movement, POV, light, color, sound, form and content fragmentation. Composing a playful and unexpected Vermeerish experience - loyal to the source but true to the technological evolution. This exhibition is part of a larger project that includes the 2011 Student Oscar winning film (Gold Medal), titled The Vermeers. The goal of both the exhibition (Di-framing Vermeers) and the film (The Vermeers) is to suggest the unlimited potential of new media/technology to re-experience the art of the past. As our traditional 'museam' viewing habits expends, it is inspired by Andre Malraux's 'Museum Without Walls', located in galleries, streets, windows, alleys, billboards and walls around the world. Title: Di-framing Vermeers
 Gallery: A Taste of Art @ The Kaufman Arcade Exhibtion dates: April 18 -- June 22, 2013 Director: Tal S. Shamir Producer & Art Director: Ruth B. Shamir (PhD) Curator: Laurence Assaraf Actors: Lisa Madison & Giuseppe Solinas Digital prints: Arik Baltinaster
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Cinematic Philosophy Book (2016)

Published by Palgrave Macmillan, and based on Tal's PhD dissertation, Cinematic Philosophy, sets out to identify cinema as a novel medium for philosophy and an important way of manifesting and developing philosophical thought. 

TAL S. SHAMIR BIO

Tal S. Shamir (Ph.D.) has directed, produced, written, and edited dozens of short films that have been presented at a wide range of film festivals, galleries, and museums; he has won many awards, including a Gold Medal in the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' 2011 Student Oscars, for his film The Vermeers.

As part of his MA in film studies, Tal also co-created and co-produced the RUFF CUTS and FINE CUTS film showcases, which allowed film students to share, discuss, and improve their films. This platform has become the central ongoing film screening event of the School of Media Studies at The New School.

 

Tal holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, film, and media from the European Graduate School (Summa Cum Laude). His Cinematic Philosophy book (based on his dissertation), was published as a monograph by Palgrave Macmillan/Springer. Cinematic Philosophy has become one of the most notable books on film and philosophy.

 

Parallel to his work and studies in film, Tal was a team leader for 10.5 years in the JDC, the largest American Jewish humanitarian aid organization.

 

Tal wrote four feature-length screenplays: XPOSURE (2015), DEUS X MACHINA (2017), CONTROL (2019), Subliminal (2021); as well as two TV Series pilots/bibles titled THE EYE (2018) and SWIM LION (2020).

 

Tal teaches film and media at The New School University in NYC and serves as the head faculty producer for the RUFF CUTS and FINE CUTS film festival shows at The New School.

 

Tal recently completed the first season of a short-form documentary series titled “The Visual Revolution.” The series investigates our dramatic and under-the-radar transformation from a written-based culture to a visual-based culture through a unique visual style. 

 

Tal is currently in pre-production of a documentary series based on his book Cinematic Philosophy.  

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