A representation of the Greek goddess of Victory, Nike - or to the Romans, Victoria. An altar to the goddess was erected by the Emperor Augustus and stood at one end of the Curia Julia, the Roman Senate.
In our depiction, the wreath of victory represents artistic triumph while the colors underneath represent artistic beauty.
"All human activity lies within the artist's scope" - as stated by Paul Bettany playing Geoffrey Chaucer in 'A Knight's Tale'
Overview
The Big Idea
The big idea is the use of film as a medium to explore political issues in a thoughtful way. Our Mission Statement also emphasizes the importance of engaging in dialogue with others, in many cases about the most difficult of issues, in a respectful way. This has traditionally been part of the academic experience and it is central to our approach.
How We Operate
The ideal scenario is the organization of a film symposium in which a select number of films are screened over the course of a long weekend or week. Following each screening faculty and subject matter experts lead a discussion with the audience. In this straightforward process a theme or subset of issues connected with the theme is explored. The role of the Foundation is to provide additional resources - people, expertise, an organizational and intellectual foundation.
We can also work with organizations that are interested in shorter presentations at events such as annual conventions, conferences and seminars if there are topics or issues that are relevant or of interest to members of these organizations or attendees at events hosted by the organization. Example: "The Rule of Law on Film" at an annual meeting of a State Bar.
Our Themes
We have assembled a list of more than 150 films that we have thematically grouped in 6 categories. While many are obvious selections and represent a rich mix of well known films, others are obscure and have been lost to time and memory. Our film list is representative and not intended to exclude others. The themes are suggestive of how the subject matter can be organized.
We organize our activities under the overarching theme of Politics on Film
Our Goals
The Washington Political Film Foundation has three primary goals:
To collaborate with teachers, film-makers, and subject matter experts across America in a creative way to bring fresh insights to a new generation of students.
To explore the use of film from a political perspective, whether as art, commentary, propaganda, history or a foreshadowing of things to come.
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To create a platform for dialogue based on critical inquiry, civil discourse, and respect for one's peers.