With an Introduction by Dr. Peter Verstraten
Film and Philosophy is back! In collaboration with Filmtheater De Uitkijk, Wijsgerig Festival DRIFT presents a series of four film nights. Every Monday evening, a film will be screened that aligns with the theme "Muse, tell me." These words, which open The Odyssey, represent the way stories mediate our experience. The Odyssey can be seen as the beginning of a long storytelling tradition in which narratives are continually retold, rewritten, and reinterpreted. We will explore how stories influence us, our perception of the world, and society. Each of the four films tells a story of its own, and four different guest speakers will introduce the films, linking them to the overarching theme.
On March 31, we kick off with a screening of Lazzaro Felice (2018)!
On the border between magic and realism, amidst sun-drenched Italian tobacco fields, we meet Lazzaro, a rural boy. Born and raised in the forgotten Italian village of Inviolata, Lazzaro encounters the spoiled young nobleman Tancredi, who asks him to help stage his own kidnapping. Always willing to help others (sometimes at his own expense), Lazzaro agrees. Their friendship triggers a shift in time and space, with far-reaching consequences for the village and its inhabitants.
With Lazzaro Felice, director Alice Rohrwacher crafts a magical-realist fairytale that strikingly exposes the social divide between rich and poor in Italy. The film received multiple awards, including Best Screenplay at Cannes and the Youth Jury Award at IFFR.
The film will be introduced by Dr. Peter Verstraten (Film and Literary Studies, Leiden). He will discuss how the film blends elements of a fable (featuring a wolf) with political and religious critique, while also offering a philosophical reflection on the concept of the holy fool. Additionally, he will explore a distinctively Italian storytelling tradition, drawing connections to the legend of Saint Francis of Assisi, Il Gattopardo (Luchino Visconti, 1963), and the neo-magical-realist film Miracolo a Milano (Vittorio De Sica, 1951).