The Department of Computer Science and Engineering has a unique opportunity to screen a new documentary film on the life and legacy of the French thinker René Girard titled Things Hidden. This is a particularly timely event, as his ideas have recently found resonance in Silicon Valley, sparking both curiosity and controversy in the technology world. We will be joined by the filmmaker Sam Sorich of Glass Darkly Films, as well as Girard’s son Martin, for a conversation following the film.
This event will appeal to undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty studying computer science, literary theory, philosophy, cultural studies, media studies, and STS.
Sam Sorich is an award-winning filmmaker and the creator of the anthology film series 8beats (www.8beatsmovie.com). He discovered his passion for filmmaking when first making skateboard videos with his best friend in Bradley, IL, where he grew up as the third of eleven children.
Sam Sorich, Filmmaker
In college, he studied philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and Illinois State University, where he encountered the work of René Girard, which had a profound impact on him. In 2015, Sam founded his production company, Glass Darkly Films (www.glassdarklyfilms.com). Shortly after Girard’s death that same year, Sam embarked on a globe-trotting journey to interview Girard’s family and colleagues for the film.
The documentary is dedicated to his wife, Eliana, and their eldest son, Simon Peter. He lives part-time between Colombia and the United States, raising two boys.