Vita Activa

The Spirit of Hannah Arendt

Thinking Against the Current: The Brilliant, Controversial Life of Hannah Arendt

This thought-provoking documentary delivers an intimate look into the turbulent life of Hannah Arendt, the influential German-Jewish philosopher who shocked the world with her concept of the "Banality of Evil."
Covering the Adolf Eichmann trial for The New Yorker, Arendt sparked global debate, a streak of controversy that mirrored her complex personal life, including her early romance with Nazi-supporting philosopher Martin Heidegger. Using a rich collection of archival footage, the film retraces her journeys through the places she lived, loved and faced betrayal while analyzing the deep wounds of the 20th century.
Decades after her major writings, a new generation of viewers is rediscovering Arendt’s work, finding her profound insights on totalitarianism, political ideologies and the global refugee crisis more urgent and relevant than ever.