Paul Schrader looked visibly moved as his new film “The Basics of Philosophy,” about a professor confronted with his past sexual abuse, premiered out-of-competition at Venice to a moderate 4.5-minute ovation on Friday night.
The crowd cheered “Bravi, Bravi!” as star Jack Huston patted him on the back and added to the cheering. Co-stars Sofia Boutella, Bill Pullman and Daniel Zovatto also huddled warmly with the director.
“The Basics of Philosophy” stars Huston as philosophy professor John Jorissen, who committed a terrible act as a young man. When the victim unexpectedly reappears in his life, he must finally face the consequences of his actions. Alongside Huston, the film also features Boutella, Zovatto, Pullman, Dana Delany, Shiloh Fernandez, Karl Glusman and Elizabeth Petruso.
Variety critic Jessica Kiang noted Huston’s performance in her review of the film, writing, “He is impressive here because of the peculiar intensity of his gaze, the too-smoothly-controlled, cultured timbre of his voice, the general sense of something about him being just that bit off.”
“The Basics of Philosophy” marks Schrader’s latest “man in a room” story, focusing on troubled men who struggle with guilt and seek redemption. In a press conference earlier on Friday, Schrader said that his upbringing as a Calvinist has influenced his cinematic obsession with these topics.
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“My childhood was one of predestination, guilt, total depravity and all that,” Schrader said. “I don’t know how I do not write about guilt and redemption.”
The 80-year-old writer and director, best known for penning “Taxi Driver” and for helming films including “American Gigolo” and “First Reformed,” is no stranger to Venice Film Festival. “First Reformed,” “The Card Counter” and “Master Gardener” all premiered at the fest, and in 2022, Schrader received a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
Martin Scorsese boarded “The Basics of Philosophy” as an executive producer ahead of the film’s Venice launch. The film is produced by Braxton Pope and David Wulf.
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