An exploration of the relationship between cinema and existentialism, in terms of their mutual ability to describe the human condition, this book combines analyses of topics in the philosophy of film with an exploration of specific existentialist themes expressed in the films of Fellini, Bergman and Woody Allen, among others.

Simone de Beauvoir’s work has not often been associated with film studies, which appears paradoxical when it is recognized that she was the first feminist thinker to inaugurate the concept of the gendered ‘othering’ gaze. This book is an attempt to redress this balance and reopen the dialogue between Beauvoir’s writings and film studies. The authors analyse a range of films, from directors including Claire Denis, Michael Haneke, Lucille Hadzihalilovic, Sam Mendes, and Sally Potter, by drawing from Beauvoir’s key works such as The Second Sex (1949), The Ethics of Ambiguity (1947) and Old Age (1970).

This is a volume of essays which addresses a relatively neglected topic and conceptual approach, and is of relevance across a range of interrelated areas, specifically film studies, French studies, existentialist studies, philosophy, modern cultural and media studies.

This edited collection re-examines the global impact of Sartre’s philosophy from 1944-68. From his emergence as an eminent philosopher, dramatist, and novelist, to becoming the ‘world’s conscience’ through his political commitment, Jean-Paul Sartre shaped the mind-set of a generation, influencing writers and thinkers both in France and far beyond. Exploring the presence of existentialism in literature, theatre, philosophy, politics, psychology and film, the contributors seek to discover what made Sartre’s philosophy so successful outside of France. With twenty diverse chapters encompassing the US, Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and Latin America, the volume analyses the dissemination of existentialism through literary periodicals, plays, universities and libraries around the world, as well as the substantial challenges it faced. The global post-war surge of existentialism left permanent traces in history, exerting considerable influence on our way of life in its quest for authenticity and freedom. This timely and compelling volume revives the path taken by a philosophical movement that continues to contribute to the anti-discrimination politics of today.

This volume explores the philosophical and metaphysical manifestations of contemporary cinema. Starting with the hypothesis that movies provide an experience that is both a pathway into the thinking mechanisms of modern humans and into our collective psyche, this study focuses on the elements that form the “Romanian cinematic mind” as part of the European cinema-thinking. While this book is based on specific case studies provided by recent productions in Romanian filmmaking, such as Proroca (2017) and Touch me Not (2018), it also contextualises the national cinema within the larger, European art of making movies. Offering close interpretations of the works of world-renowned directors like Cristi Puiu, Cristian Mungiu, Corneliu Porumboiu or more recently Adina Pintilie and Constantin Popescu, this book questions the “Romanianess” of their cinematic techniques, and places their philosophical roots both in a particular mode of thinking and within continental philosophy.

This textbook introduces you to existentialist philosophical theory and its cultural influence. The first part of the book offers an introductory overview of the 19th century historical roots of existentialist thought and chapters on all the key players: Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Camus. The second part presents a thematic approach, with chapters on Christian and Jewish existentialism, existentialism in America, existential psychology and existentialism in the cinema. Ideal for undergraduate and classroom use, this engaging and accessible textbook includes pedagogical features, such as study questions, chapter summaries, key definitions and further reading.