philfliX: Philosophieren im Kino

In the organizer's words:

Justice, moral criticism and moralism: Philadelphia (1993)

03.06.2026 - from 18:30
Philadelphia (Director: Jonathan Demme, 1993)
Speaker: Marion Seiche M.A.
Topic: Justice, moral criticism and moralism

About the movie:
Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) has just successfully graduated from law school when he is immediately snapped up by one of the best law firms in Philadelphia and is henceforth allowed to move in the most distinguished circles. Until then, he had managed to keep his homosexuality under wraps. However, when he is tested for pneumonia, he receives a devastating diagnosis: he is HIV-positive. The first physical symptoms soon become apparent and, as if that wasn't enough, a case file for which Andrew is responsible suddenly disappears. Although he is able to prevent the worst from happening, the law firm says goodbye to him. However, Andrew is not prepared to accept this rapid decline, which is why he hires the African-American lawyer Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to take on his case. Jonathan Demme succeeds in making an extremely exciting and touching plea for humanity and tolerance! (Source: Düsseldorfer Filmkunstkinos)

After the movie:
Following the film, philosopher Marion Seiche (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf) will discuss justice, moral criticism and moralism with the audience: how are moral criticism, justice and discrimination connected? Where is the boundary between justified moral criticism and moralism as a strict basic attitude? Is there moral progress?

Venue: Bambi Filmstudio, Klosterstr. 78
Tickets & info: t1p.de/filmphilo

About the philfliX project:
Watching exciting films and philosophizing in the cinema afterwards? As part of the philfliX series (previously: Philosophy & Film), philosophers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf give short keynote speeches after selected film screenings in which they make interesting connections between the film shown and philosophical topics. Afterwards, the audience is invited to discuss with the experts in the movie theater. The philfliX project is part of the interactive public philosophy project denXte. It is sponsored by the Citizens' University of the HHU Düsseldorf.

Price information:

Students receive the reduced guild card rate.