The Vocation of Cinema is an investigation into the essence of cinema through the philosophical and theological resources of the Catholic intellectual tradition.
At its heart lie two questions:
What is the unique calling of cinema among the arts and in the life of man?
How ought mankind respond to this calling in the making and receiving of cinematic works?
As a filmmaker and as a cinephile, I’ve always yearned to understand what makes cinema such a powerful influence in my life. I am equally held by the joy of making films, and the joy of receiving them. What is the ultimate source of that joy?
Encompassing both the path of the filmmaker and the path of the cinephile, this series will offer a number of reflections on questions of cinema, cinephilia, history, film studies, philosophy, and theology. Key to our inquiry will be an appreciative and critical engagement with the work of philosophers, film theorists, and historians, including Andre Bazin, Etienne Gilson, Jacques Maritain, Thomas Elsaesser, Paul Willemen, Josef Pieper, Eric Rohmer, and Erwin Panofsky.
My hope is that this series will be helpful to anyone approaching cinema as an art that is beautiful, meaningful, and life-changing. For filmmakers and artists, it means taking hold of the freedom and the confidence to make and to make beautifully. For cinephiles, critics, and scholars it means integrating one’s quest for cinema into the flourishing of the whole human being.
Cinema is worthy of our time and attention. It is worthy of our contemplation and cultivation. Please join me as we explore its very depths.
Ok, great. Who are you?
My name is Nathan Douglas. I’m a director and writer from Vancouver, British Columbia. My short films have played at film festivals such as Locarno, Clermont-Ferrand, FNC Montreal, and the Vancouver International Film Festival. I am also a regular contributor to Criteria: The Catholic Film Podcast. This Substack is the first of several projects exploring the intersection of film theory and the Catholic intellectual tradition.
What’s the deal?
Essays will be posted as they come out of the oven. VoC Dispatch, a collection of news, links, and short-form thoughts, will be posted on an occasional basis.
All main content is free. Paid subscriptions and perks are currently on hold, but will resume at a future date.
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See you soon!
