Registration now open!

Sessions via Zoom begin February 17, 2026 at 7:30PM

The State in Cinema: Order, Violence, Myth

A four-session online film discussion series on how modern cinema imagines the State as protector, adversary, or something more ambiguous.

What this series is about:

Over four sessions, we’ll examine how cinema has represented the State—as protector, adversary, and moral authority—across different historical moments and political systems. Rather than treating these films as political arguments, we’ll look closely at how power is dramatized, normalized, challenged, or internalized through story, character, and form.

Discussion will focus on the experience of watching: how films convey authority through space, procedure, surveillance, language, ritual, and violence, and how individuals navigate institutions that claim legitimacy over their lives.

The selection spans monarchies, revolutionary governments, bureaucratic states, and modern surveillance societies, offering contrasting visions of when the State appears necessary, when it becomes oppressive, and when the line between the two collapses.

The State in Cinema is a film discussion series for viewers interested in how cinema explores political power, authority, and resistance, through close viewing, historical context, and guided conversation.

The State in Cinema: Order, Violence, Myth is a live discussion series for people who enjoy engaging deeply with film—how power is represented, how authority is felt, and why certain political images linger long after the credits roll.

Across four sessions, we’ll explore films that examine the State not just as a political structure, but as an experience: order imposed through ritual and law, violence justified or concealed, and myths that sustain legitimacy. Rather than focusing on plot alone, discussion centers on how cinematic choices—performance, framing, pacing, sound, and space—shape our understanding of power and compliance.

Each session is conversation-driven. I provide selected clips, historical context, and discussion prompts; participants bring observations, questions, and interpretations. The emphasis is on close attention and shared inquiry.

This is a focused, thoughtful series for people who enjoy talking about film with others who watch carefully and reflectively.

Films in Focus

Among the films we’ll be discussing:

  • The Battle of Algiers

  • Danton

  • The Madness of King George

  • Brazil

  • The Lives of Others

  • Army of Shadows

  • State of Siege

  • Farewell, My Queen

  • Salvador

  • The Killing Fields

  • Missing

  • The Official Story

  • Garage Olimpo

  • Pra Frente, Brasil

  • Four Days in September

Sessions are scheduled to meet on:

  • February 17, 2026

  • March 3, 2026

  • March 17, 2026

  • March 31, 2026

Each session begins at 7:30PM and runs 90 minutes.

The State in Cinema: Order, Violence, Myth meets over four live sessions, each 90 minutes in length, scheduled on alternating weeks.

Participants watch the films independently in advance of each session. Meetings take place on Zoom and are discussion-based, with guided prompts, selected clips, and close attention to how cinematic form shapes representations of power, authority, and resistance.

Active participation is encouraged. Sessions are conversational and structured to support thoughtful exchange rather than lectures or presentations.

Format & Logistics 

  • Number 0f Sessions: 4

  • Length of each session: 90 minutes

  • Schedule: Alternating weeks

  • Platform: Zoom (link provided after registration)

  • Viewing: Films watched independently prior to sessions

Registration is now open!