The New York Institute for the Humanities (NYIH) will host “Eichmann & Drones,” an evening that will include U.S. premiere screenings of “Nacht und Nebel,” (“Night and Fog”) by Dani Gal, and “5,000 Feet is the Best,” by Omer Fast, followed by a discussion on art and politics with the two artists, writers Lawrence Weschler and Maggie Nelson, filmmaker Errol Morris, and two leading human rights figures, on Saturday, October 29.
The New York Institute for the Humanities (NYIH) at New York University will host “Eichmann & Drones,” an evening that will include U.S. premiere screenings of “Nacht und Nebel,” (“Night and Fog”) by Dani Gal, and “5,000 Feet is the Best,” by Omer Fast, followed by a discussion on art and politics with the two artists, writers Lawrence Weschler and Maggie Nelson, filmmaker Errol Morris, and two leading human rights figures, on Saturday, October 29, 6 p.m. at the NYU School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall (Tishman Auditorium), 40 Washington Square South (between MacDougal and Sullivan Streets).
The event is free and open to the public. Call 212.998.2101 for more information. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Subways: A, C, E, D, F, M (West 4th Street).
“Nacht und Nebel,” by Dani Gal, focuses on the disposition of Adolf Eichmann’s cremated remains by a group of Israeli soldiers following his 1962 execution. “5,000 Feet is the Best,” by Omer Fast, centers on U.S. military pilots based in Las Vegas directing lethal robotic drones half way around the world and the nervous breakdowns to which they have been succumbing. Both filmmakers reside in Berlin and their works have been critically acclaimed at the current Venice Biennale.
After the screenings—each film runs approximately 25 minutes—the filmmakers will join NYIH director Lawrence Weschler for a short conversation on their works. This will be followed by a roundtable discussion on issues raised by both films—everything from the legality of drone attacks and the possible culpability of distant pilots acting under military orders, to the ethics and aesthetics of the representation of death, killing, and the otherwise unthinkable. Panelists include: NYU School of Law Professor Philip Alston, co-director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice and former UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions; documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, whose credits include “Mr. Death,” “Fog of War,” and “Standard Operating Procedure”; Aryeh Neier, a founder and former executive director of Human Rights Watch and currently president of the Open Society Foundations; and CalArts Professor Maggie Nelson, author of Bluets, Jane: A Murder, and The Art of Cruelty: A Reckoning.
For all press inquiries, please contact the NYIH’s Stephanie Steiker at nyih.info@nyu.edu or 212.998.2101. For further information, a complete list of speakers, and schedule updates, click here.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
The New York Institute for the Humanities at New York University was established in 1976 for promoting the exchange of ideas between academics, professionals, politicians, diplomats, writers, journalists, musicians, painters, and other artists in New York City--and between all of them and the city. It currently comprises over 220 fellows. Throughout the year, the NYIH organizes numerous public events, including conferences, symposia, readings, and performances. For further information, please click here or contact nyih.info@nyu.edu or 212.998.2101.
