Feature Documentary, 87 minutes.
Directed & Produced by Mark Blumberg.
Distributed by Gravitas Ventures
http://www.actofreading.com
“To put it bluntly, I love this film as both an English teacher and as a film critic. The filmmakers succeed in breathing fresh life into not just an understanding of Moby Dick, but - as the title of the movie suggests - The Act of Reading itself […]. This film is more than just a journey of self-discovery. It is an acceptance of the fated lives we live.”
-Loron Hays, ReelReviews
"The Act of Reading, like Moby-Dick, may be seen as a dense cinematic tome exploring a wide array of disparate paths. But each viewer — like each reader — takes their own journey through the text. While the film is ostensibly about Mark’s journey, it encompasses so much more. Mark may be our Ahab. The subjects may be our Ishmael. But the film rewards deep exploration, an openness to connection and experience, and a willingness to engage. It’s also really funny."
-Michael Roberson, Split Tooth Media
Lake Travis Film Festival, 2020
Big Apple Film Festival, 2020
SOMA Film Festival, 2020
In this scene, Socrates (John Cleary) and a cognitive neuroscientist (Maryanne Wolf) warn us that readers may be harboring the illusion of wisdom.