As part of the festival, there will be free film screenings followed by Q&A sessions with the experts from English Language and Linguistics.
The Linguists (2008)
This fantastic film follows Professors David Harrison and Gregory Anderson as they travel around the globe documenting rapidly disappearing languages. Their aim is to learn from and preserve languages some of which may have no more than a handful of speakers. The film reveals how the politics of colonialism and cultural shame have played a part in language loss and discusses the reasons why all languages are worth preserving. Funny, enlightening and compelling.
When? Tuesday, 18 November 2014, 6:30pm
Where? The Gulbenkian
Is the Man who is Tall Happy? (2013)
From Michel Gondry, the innovative director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep, comes this unique animated documentary on the life of controversial MIT professor, philosopher, linguist, anti-war activist and political firebrand Noam Chomsky. Through complex, lively conversations with Chomsky and brilliant illustrations by Gondry himself, the film reveals the life and work of the father of modern linguistics while also exploring his theories on the emergence of language. The result is not only a dazzling, vital portrait of one of the foremost thinkers of modern times, but also a beautifully animated work of art.
When? Thursday, 20 November 2014, 6:30pm
Where? The Gulbenkian
Book now!
The screenings run in collaboration with the Gulbenkian cinema. Admission is free but places are limited. To book a ticket for a screening, visit the Gulbenkian’s booking site.