Spinoza – 6 Reasons for the Excommunication of the Philosopher

  • Israel
  • Documentary
  • 2023
  • 55 min.
  • Director(s): David Ofek
  • Producer(s): Yair Qedar

Synopsis

The excommunication of Baruch Spinoza, the Dutch Jewish philosopher who revolutionized modern thought, is a formative, mysterious event in the understanding of his work. Director David Ofek takes us on an intercontinental journey tracing six reasons for Spinoza’s excommunication. Between Amsterdam, The Hague, New York, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv, he makes some surprising discoveries, and traces the figure of a man who continues to intrigue our culture with his ideas, which remain revolutionary, spiritual, and radical to this day. This is the 17th film created for The Hebrews project.

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Credits

Director(s)

David Ofek

Producer(s)

Yair Qedar

Script

Meron Sasson, David Ofek, Yair Qedar

Cinematography

Dror Lebendiger

Editor

Shaked Goren

Original Language

Hebrew, English

Subtitles

Hebrew, English

Sound Designer

Aviv Aldema

Produced with the help of

Kan 11, Makor Fund, Avi Chai-Gesher Film Fund

Reviews

  • "The ban on Baruch ‘Benedict’ Spinoza is in force, as are his radical ideas that remade the world, but don’t let that stand in the way of seeing this remarkable documentary."
    - The Sun
  • "Ofek’s film... fits the style of its subject in its expansive but approachable presentation. In under an hour, it provides a satisfying primer on a mind that upended Western thought, and even manages to find living relatives whose own artistic projects echo Spinoza’s gracious worldview. "
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