Hospitality: Conditional or Unconditional?

Krzysztof LOSKA

Instytut Sztuk Audiowizualnych, Wydział Zarządzania i Komunikacji Społecznej, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, ul. Łojasiewicza 4, 30-348 Cracow, Poland , Poland

Abstract

The starting point for this paper is Jacques Derrida’s philosophical idea developed in his late writings where he focused on the concept of hospitality as a category embracing two dimensions: ethical and political. The former concerns human relationships, while the latter—relations between institutions and individuals. In this paper I wish to show how the principle of hospitality has been presented in contemporary French and transnational cinema, as exemplified by the works of Philippe Lioret, Abdelatiff Kechiche, and Aki Kaurismäki. Their films may serve as a perfect illustration of the limitations imposed by the system on the once familiar principle of hospitality.

Keywords:

deconstruction, Jacques Derrida, French film, immigrants