Cinema of Resistance: Comedy in Tragic Times

What is the role of comedy and humor in resisting fascism? Bullies of all kinds hate to be laughed at, because humor undermines the fear they want their victims to have. But are there situations too serious to joke about? It might seem like such tragedies and horrors as 9/11, AIDS, police brutality, mass deportation, or the murder of political rivals should be off limits for comedy.

On the other hand, Austrian psychiartist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote: “humor was another of the soul’s weapons in the fight for self-preservation” in the Nazi concentration camps. So, perhaps, humor can help us cope with suffering, but can comedy actually help change things for the better?

In January we kick off Season Two of our free, public screenings: this time themed Comedies of Resistance! We will view a Holocaust comedy — what an oxymoron! — in which a one of cinema’s greatest clowns dares to use humor in response to horror.

Discussion follows with historian Dr. Laurie Baron, author of a book on Holocaust cinema and the satire column “Humoring the Headlines” for the San Diego Jewish World news. Joining Dr. Baron is stand up comic Jesse Egan Winner of “San Diego’s Funniest Person” contest to help us think about comedy in the Trump Era.

All are welcome!