In 1958, the book The Human Condition was published. It was the first time the entire world was exposed to the thoughts and philosophies of Hannah Arendt. She was a German-born American political theorist who escaped Germany during the Holocaust. In this book, she introduced the term "vita activa" (active life), as opposed to "vita contemplativa" (contemplative life), which represented her understanding of Western society. She maintained that there are only three human activities: labor, work, and action.
Ada Ushpiz's "Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt" exposes us to her very controversial writings about the Holocaust and specifically to the way she covered the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. Ushpiz uses interviews with people from all over the political and philosophical spectrum to discuss their opinions of Arendt in conjunction with historical footage of Arendt speaking and footage of Nazi Germany and the trial of Eichmann.
Movie title | Vita Activa: The Spirit of Hannah Arendt |
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Release year | 2016 |
MPAA Rating | NR |
Our rating | |
Summary | Documentary of philosopher and political scientist Hannah Arendt is surprisingly lively despite the plethora of talking heads. |