Film & Philosophy: “The Congress”
May 17 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Inspired by the novel “The Futurological Congress” (1971) by Polish author Stanisław Lem, The Congress is a unique sci-fi blend of live-action and animation that explores the future of entertainment, identity, and perception. Robin Wright stars as a fictionalized version of herself, an aging actress who, through some heartbreaking circumstances, agrees to sell her digital likeness to a powerful Miramount studio. As the industry evolves into a hallucinatory animated dystopia, she embarks on a surreal journey where reality and illusion collide. Directed by Ari Folman, The Congress features an outstanding cast, including Harvey Keitel, Jon Hamm, Paul Giamatti, Danny Huston, and (of course) Robin Wright.
Watch the Movie Trailer
What We’ll Be Doing
After grabbing a seat in our mini-theater and welcoming hello…we’ll settle in & watch The Congress. This visually stunning and thought-provoking film presents a cornucopia of philosophical questions about immortality, free-will, agency, consciousness, identity, creativity, perception, progress, and the role of technology in shaping our existence. After the film, we’ll have a free-flowing community conversation led by Student Scholar Fellow Gavin Payne based on some of these…and whatever comes to mind for you!
WHEN
Sunday, May 17th
1pm-4pm (MST)
WHERE
In the Conference Center @ Reeder's Alley
COST
Free ($5 suggested donation)
OTHER
BYOB & Snacks
Film Run Time: 2 Hours
Short break & community conversation to follow
About Our Facilitator
Gavin Payne is a senior at Helena High School, a regular participant at Merlin activities, and our first ever high school student scholar fellow. The founder of the Helena High School Moral Science Club, he will headed to the University of Montana in the Fall to study philosophy and classics. In his free time Gavin loves to read, analyze poetry, and write.
Thank you to Our Community Partners
