Zeitgeist Films is releasing Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt, a docu directed by Ada Ushpiz.
The German-Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt caused an uproar in the 1960s by coining the concept of the “Banality of Evil,” when referring to the trial of Adolph Eichmann in Israel, which she covered for the New Yorker magazine.
Her private life was also controversial due to her early love affair with the renowned German philosopher and Nazi supporter, Martin Heidegger.
This thought provoking docu, based on archival materials, offers an intimate portrait of Arendt’s life, traveling to places where she lived, worked, loved, as she wrote about the open wounds of modern times.
Through her books, which are still widely read and the recent release of Margarethe von Trotta’s biopic HANNAH ARENDT (a Zeitgeist Films release), there is renewed interest in Arendt, especially among young people who find her insights into the nature of evil, totalitarianism, ideologies, and the perils faced by refugees, more relevant than ever.
This official selection at Jerusalem and Munich film festivals, as well as at IDFA, and winner of Best Documentary at the Santa Barbara Film Fest will open at Film Forum in NYC on April 6 and at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in LA on April 29, followed by national release
About Filmmaker Ada Ushpiz:
Ada Ushpiz is an Israeli film producer and director. She has a B.A. in philosophy and M.A. in history from Tel Aviv University and a journalistic experience in political-social writing for the Ha’aretz newspaper. She directed a number of documentaries: Detained (2001), Bloody Engagement (2004), Desert Brides (2008). and Good Garbage (2012).
Running time: 125 min
In German, Hebrew and English with English subtitles
