Light denied

64 min. HD, 2007

An exploration of “light”
as a symbol of Dionysian values “denied” by our civilization.
Can we immerse ourselves in this light and remain sane?

Of all the films I have seen on philosophy
including ones by people like Godard and Syberberg,
none packs more intense images about the meaning of philosophy
into its 64 minutes than this film.

– Steve Fesenmaier, wvgazette.com
 Full review here.

(trailer here)

Polish Radio interview on “Light Denied” and Nietzsche. 
Click to listen.

Festivals and screenings:
  • “Philosophy on Film”, Olsztyn 2010
  • Croatia University of Zagreb, 2010
  • Beijing International Studies University, 2010
  • Art Zone, Beijing, 2010
  • College of DuPage, 2010
  • “Manggha”, the Center for Japanese Art and Culture.
    Cracow, 2009. More here
  • Warsaw University, The Archeology Institute, 2009
  • Summer of Films, Warsaw, 2009
  • Museum of Emigration, Warsaw, 2008 (Muzeum Wychodzctwa Polskiego)
  • Warsaw University, Polish Philology Film Club, 2008
  • Progressive Films Festival, DuPage, 2008
  • Krakow Film Festiwal, 2008
  • Forbidden Galaxy, Tokyo, 2007

 

written and directed by
Pawel Kuczynski

director of photography 
Piotr Rejmer

produced by
Pawel Kuczynski and Piotr Rejmer 

music by 
Vlad Kuryluk

more information, pictures, news,
full crew and cast list:
www.lightsdenied.com

Real Life Scholars:

Prof. Alan Rosenberg
Queens College,
City University of New York, USA.
A Holocaust scholar and a practitioner of Nietzschean self-mastery.

Prof. Werner Krieglstein
College of DuPage, USA.
A theoretician of perspectivism, who undergoes a Nietzsche induced crisis.

Prof. Hope Fitz
Eastern Connecticut State University, USA.
Presents Nietzsche as a complex and tormented individual, striving for personal excellence.

Prof. Victor Krebs
The Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
Diagnosis the present day civilizational crisis as the “Dionysian revenge”.

Prof. Karl-Otto Apel
University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany
An ardent critic of Nietzsche’s ethics with their historical consequences.

Fictitious Characters:

Prof. Felix Lewinsky
Played by
Christopher Janczar
A philosopher who descends into madness while in the process of studying Nietzsche.

Anna, sister of Felix
Played by
Malgorzata Zajaczkowska
Gradually acquires characteristics of Elisabeth, Nietzsche’s sister.

Prof. Carrington
Played by
Patrick L. Lahey
An American scholar visiting Poland to present Feliks with a philosophical award.

President of the University
Played by
Stanislaw Zaluski
An official increasingly concerned with Feliks’ change of behavior.

Angelique
Played by
Diana Kadlubowska
A street girl who has to deal with Felix’ delusions.

Also appear:
Alicja Dabrowska, Slawomir Grzymkowski,
Wiktor Zatwarski, Marcin Kowalczyk and others.