Cinema, philosophy and paideia: A Badiouan analysis of the Iranian movie “Hit the Road”

Abstract

I here read the Iranian film Hit the Road (Panahi 2021) through the eyes of the French philosopher Alain Badiou. In doing so, I hope to illuminate the triadic link between cinema, philosophy and paideia (ethical-political education). To explore, I adopt a philosophical methodology with the double ambition to reveal the latent pedagogies of the film and to acquire insights on the distinctiveness of a Badiouan conception of cinema. My questions are to what degree and in what ways cinematic experience can be said to promote ethical-political formation. I start by portraying Badiou’s cinematic philosophy. Next, I expose how Hit the Road confronts us with a hidden real. Third, I close the paper by considering Badiou’s idea of cinema as an influential form of ethical-political education.

Cinema, philosophy and paideia: A Badiouan analysis of the Iranian movie “Hit the Road”