Maya Berry
ISM Fellow
African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
"Cabildo Performance as Pedagogy: Race, Gender, Memory and Death in Contemporary Cuba"
Josef Sorett
ISM Fellow
Department of Religion; and African American Studies
Columbia University
"The Art and Politics of Afro-Protestantism”
Kristian Petersen
Department of Religious Studies; and Islamic Studies
University of Nebraska Omaha
“Muslims in Western Cinema: Patterns and Disruptions”
Anderson Blanton
ISM Fellow
Anthropology
“Object Lessons: Materiality and Aesthetic Formation in the American Sunday School”
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey, the ultimate science fiction film by director Stanley Kubrick, explores themes of existentialism and the relationship between technological innovation and its destructive potential.
Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013)
Jodorowsky’s Dune is the story of film director Alejandro Jodorowsky and his ambitious film, Dune, a project that never reached fruition. This fascinating documentary follows Jodorowsky and his cast of “spiritual warriors” as they reshape the Western canon of science fiction film engaging other major works like Contact (1997), Alien (1979), and Prometheus (2012).
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
The Man Who Fell to Earth, featuring the late David Bowie, plays a dual role in realm of science fiction by marrying the cult following of a pop icon with a plot that questions cultural values and desires.
Science Fiction and Spirituality Film Series
Advantageous (2015)
Advantageous, a film by Jennifer Phang, is set in a near future ridden by increasing unemployment and gender inequality. Noted for its Asian American female protagonist, the film uses the genre of science fiction to consider themes of the body, embodiment, and desire.
The 2016-2017 Religion and Film Series focuses on Science Fiction and Spirituality. All films will be screened at the Whitney Humanities Center at 7 pm and are followed by a conversation led by a guest speaker. Dustin Gavin is series coordinator. For more information about each film, including guest speakers, click on the links below.
Sept 30 - Solaris (1972)
Solaris (1972)
Tarkovsky’s mystifying drama of grief and memory, wholly engages both inner and outer space. In it Tarkovsky takes a step away from the standard science fiction film and creates a divine conversation of reality, humanity, and “contact” with other forms of intelligence.
Science Fiction & Spirituality Film Series