The Radical Self

Directed by Johann Feindt

Knives have a long history, almost as long as mankind itself. An invaluable tool, first made of stone and later forged in metal, essential for countless everyday activities, from farming and hunting to cooking. Its use as a weapon is just as ancient. However, it is only in our times, in this century, that the knife seems to be making a comeback as a weapon, and with a clear political connotation at that; wielded by extremists acting alone among unsuspecting crowds. The Radical Self takes on the responsibility of investigating the phenomenon of this particular form of terrorism perpetrated by jihadists. The consistent effort to comprehend it, from a historical, political, and psychological point of view, asks the viewer to direct both gaze and mind toward a space of liminal (and certainly terrifying) psychosocial realities and cultures.