Can Film DO Philosophy?
On February 7, 2026, I represented King’s College London (along with two other delegates) at University College London’s Intervarsity Public Speaking Competition. Below are the speaking notes for my five-minute speech: Can Film DO Philosophy?
Like our last speaker, I’m a philosopher. But I describe myself as a filmmaker-philosopher, because since childhood, they’ve been my Greatest Passions.
When I was nine, I started writing novels, all because my grandfather gave me this little notebook… and every recess – while everyone else was on the playground – I would FILL the pages with stories:
At first, they would be imitations of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson – but featuring Eli, Eli’s little brother, and Eli’s best friend…
Then, later, I plucked up the courage to start writing original stories.
And I tell you this because when I was 13, I moved from Singapore to Canada, and on the plane… it felt like I was losing everything:
My friends –– my school –– the city I’d grown up in –– Hainanese chicken-rice.
I realized on that plane ride: I had only two things to hold on to:
1) My family.
2) And my imagination – the stories and characters in my head.
At the same time, I would ask these ridiculously BIG QUESTIONS. Too big for a 9 or a 13 year old… maybe too big for me now!
I would think about thinking. And then I’d think about the fact that I was thinking about thinking… and ON and ON until I’d feel like I HAD NO OPTION BUT to explode.
So NOW, since becoming a filmmaker, I’ve ended up with ONE BIG QUESTION. It’s this question:
Can Film DO Philosophy?
Fair warning, we philosophers like questions more than we like answers… so I’d like to spend the rest of my time not answering this question, but convincing you that it is worth asking.
So let’s do it–
Plenty of films are ABOUT philosophy. They explore philosophical concepts in dialogue, or plot, and this… is extremely boring.
Not only boring, but a profound underestimation of what film can do.
HORROR films aren’t just about fear –––– they put fear inside you!
You GRAB and CRUSH the hand of the person next to you,
You physically YELP at a jump scare!
DRAMAS aren’t just about emotions –––– they make people sob
next to strangers, in the dark…
So, for cinema to be about philosophy just isn’t good enough.
The word “philosophy” means, “the love of wisdom” – not the pursuit of wisdom! The LOVE of it. It expresses a passion. And my contention is that this kind of passion doesn’t fit in 12-point Times New Roman or in character dialogue.
My Indian Philosophy professor explained to me that:
In the WEST, philosophy is seen as the intellectual pursuit of TRUTH and KNOWLEDGE – and the RESULT is that great ideas are buried under jargon and dense abstractions–
But in INDIA, it’s always been a tool for the relief of suffering:
I want to return to Philosophy that has something important to say to those with anxiety, depression, trauma, to people who are lost – and yet JUST AS MUCH TO SAY to those abound with a sense of wide-eyed wonder and curiosity.
I believe film can embody philosophy, making it:
ACCESSIBLE, PRACTICAL, and ENGAGING to a wider audience:
Especially to people who don’t have the privilege of accessing philosophy in higher education.
This way of thinking has shifted what storytelling means in my life! It used to be a vessel for self-expression. (Writing about Eli!). But I increasingly see storytelling as a method of service for others.
Because filmmakers are given the greatest gift in the world; the gift we’re giving each other today –– that’s the gift of attention:
You hand over the KEYS to your EYES and EARS for 2-HOURS and BEG to be shown something you’ve never seen before. The suspension of disbelief! When you sit in a cinema, you are the most open-minded that you ever are.
So filmmakers have all the tools AND conditions to give audiences direct and transformative philosophical experiences…
The question is HOW.
To me,
this question is worth exploring for a lifetime…
But not for me.
Thank you.