The Angel of History

The Angel of History

11 mins | Documentary | Oct. 9, 2019

In 1921, German philosopher Walter Benjamin purchased a painting Angelus Novus by the Swiss-German artist Paul Klee. Benjamin admired it and described it in detail in his essay “Theses on the Philosophy of History.” The picture portrays a restless angel who tasted reality. For a moment the angel freezes as if observing the inevitable turns of history. German director Eric Esser filmed at the Spanish-French border, which used to be a place of smuggling routes. It is across this border Walter Benjamin once escaped from the Nazis too.

The Angel of History

11 mins | Documentary | Oct. 9, 2019

The Angel of History
In 1921, German philosopher Walter Benjamin purchased a painting Angelus Novus by the Swiss-German artist Paul Klee. Benjamin admired it and described it in detail in his essay “Theses on the Philosophy of History.” The picture portrays a restless angel who tasted reality. For a moment the angel freezes as if observing the inevitable turns of history. German director Eric Esser filmed at the Spanish-French border, which used to be a place of smuggling routes. It is across this border Walter Benjamin once escaped from the Nazis too.
Producers MakeShiftMovies
Original title Der Engel der Geschichte
Directors Eric Esser
Writers Eric Esser

Cast