Cafe Philosophique presents 'Olympia'

Cafe Philosophique features a series of events bringing philosophical debate and cinema together. Philosophers from the University of Nottingham will be offering talks based around contemporary and classic films. This inaugural event will feature a rare showing of Olympia, an aesthetic documentary of the 1936 Olympic Games.

Do the ethical flaws of a work ruin it as art? Professor Stephen Mumford, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Nottingham, will address this issue in the introduction to Olympia Part 1: Festival of Nations. Leni Riefenstahl was the greatest filmmaker of her age yet her beautiful innovations were used in the promotion of Nazi ideology. Professor Mumford will explore whether ethical flaws in art are also an aesthetic defect and draw attention to some key messages of the film.

Professor Mumford's talk will last approx. 30 mins and precede screening of Olympia Part 1: Festival of Nations at 6pm. Olympia Part 2: Festival of Beauty will be screened on Wednesday 18th at 6pm.