Jake Gyllenhaal and Colm Toíbín: In Conversation The Year of James Baldwin

Described by the Washington Post as "an almost unbearable, tumultuous, blood-pounding experience," James Baldwin's Another Country remains one of the most powerful novels about that tangle of conundrums (race, gender, class, and sexuality), which so dramatically organizes our culture. To launch Columbia University's installment of The Year of James Baldwin, Jake Gyllenhaal, acclaimed actor, Columbia alumnus, and Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee, will join Colm Toíbín, celebrated author and Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of English and Comparative Literature, in a dynamic conversation about this remarkable novel and its enduring relevance. The evening will be introduced by Carol Becker, Dean of Columbia University School of the Arts, and Farah Jasmine Griffin, William B. Ransford Professor of English and Comparative Literature and African American Studies.
The Year of James Baldwin
April 2014 -- June 2015
In commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the birth of James Baldwin (1924-1987), Harlem Stage, Columbia University School of the Arts, and New York Live Arts have partnered to mount a citywide, multi-disciplinary slate of programming exploring his life and work. Other collaborators include: New York University; The New School and its Vera List Center for Art and Politics; The Poetry Society of America; The Harlem Book Fair; The National Black Theater; and others to be announced as the year progresses.

[@mordsithmorgan]

Please never ever delete this. It needs to remain forever. For science.

[@JamrockSMR]

I love Jake and Colm (going to see Brooklyn at the NYFF next week), but I think they needed an intellectual black voice to join the discussion.

[@TheDMTmolecule]

+JamrockSMR or just an intellectual voice

[@j.m251]

Right. Odd how they didn’t include a Black voice in a discussion about a Black man

[@kebbajawo6509]

@@j.m251

[@studywithmir1994]

@@j.m251 Toibin it´s a gay Irish novelist, romancat cause I mean... religion queer... so maybe they think the expirience of mr baldwin is not only defined by race, I mean probably Mr baldwin has more to do with that expirience than lets say Ex POTUS Obama or Dr Ben Carson.

[@sarat1625]

When Colm Toibin began to ruminate on what Baldwin's take on Obama might have been (starting at 51:00), it made me recall a moment in the documentary Take This Hammer. Baldwin tries to be optimistic and tells a young, black man that there will be a black president in the U.S., but the country that he'll president of will not be the same country in which they currently live.

[@RYEANkindaAWESOME]

I love them both, but it would have been better to include an Expert African American voice in this discussion....

[@j.m251]

Right

[@TigerPrawn_]

It was a bit of a cop out when they were saying "Oh you might be wondering what two white men are doing on stage discussing this book lol" but they never really address it??

[@dannygeorge1928]

A great man of our time long may he be remembered.

[@jeancarloshernandezmartine7687]

Come on man, what a great Topic, Also Mr. Gyllenhaal, so glad to see him there, he was ready to portray Scott Fisher in the Movie Everest

[@quentonhorton1053]

This discussion has class in its self-awareness.

[@3039576202]

just wonderful..... loved every second of this....

[@TigerPrawn_]

54:51 Finally someone mentioning what is arguably one of the biggest themes in the book by name!

[@ShwetaChatterjee]

I hate it when people can't pronounce Jake Gyllenhaal last name right

[@joshuagarbett]

The words in this book are actually dancing

[@legra75]

You don’t have to be black or white to understand the quest for truth. If we truly lived in that space where we rid ourselves of masks and preconceived notions about how we will be judged by others we would find true freedom. To rid ourselves of isms starts from deep within. We must ask ourselves, why do we believe what we believe? Where do our perceptions of each other and ourselves come from? Why do we often find the art of conformity safer than our own uniqueness? This was a great conversation that properly discussed these themes. Baldwin’s books force you to face yourself and all of our inner dualities.

[@egern22]

Truth is one thing. Are you talking moral truth. There is no truth. The word has no meaning. Truth is a relative, and as such it dissolves its own definition. Moral is an inherent (be it kind of stupid) human attribute. Moral could be a global standard. Truth, not so much. I think Baldwin has provided us with a brilliant users manual for a moral reboot. Or at least he reminds us of our potential. But he is very aware that in order to get there, we need to understand. Understand everything. How did we end up here. Where did it go wrong. Our moral potential is getting beat up by our human nature. Our human nature likes the quick fix. Culture is not intelligent. Culture is comfort. Culture is degenerate. Culture will kill us as a species. :-) Culture is more scary than religion. Just another comfortable truth. And we are raised to defend our culture. How stupid is that. There is no moral standard in a flag, a coin, a football club or a house in the suburbs.There is no moral reason or evolutionary reason to be racist og gender bias. Its just culture. Groomed by history. Smart people are not slaves to history, And its a great, smart, white, by proxy, conversation they have. They have every right to "the truth". Its a nice truth. But im left with another question. Does moral need experience.

[@TigerPrawn_]

Actually we don't know it's going to be the last night of Rufus' life. I had that spoiled for me when I read the introduction to the book by Tóibín 😭

[@TigerPrawn_]

Daaammnn that quote at 1:25:00

[@mayumiperez6328]

Y’all 32:00

[@bighardbooks770]

Starts at 11:29

[@carolinecaro1320]

Thanks 😊

[@stillNOThuman]

anyone know where i an find the interview with Baldwin they refer to?

[@TigerPrawn_]

What time in the video?

[@thebestofmosdef]

Jake seems like an intelligent fellow. I wonder why he always acts in superficial Hollywood entertainment movies.

[@TheDMTmolecule]

+thebestofmosdef um ... maybe because they pay him huge amounts of money for acting in these movies?

[@thebestofmosdef]

The guy is a millionaire. He's not exactly struggling to pay the rent.

[@lenasmrs]

thebestofmosdef how so? Check out his movies and some of his interviews, it's interesting

[@thebestofmosdef]

Sorry not sorry I don't understand your question.

[@Historyrhymezz]

because you said "he always acts in superficial Hollywood entertainment movies" but he's super smart and shows it in his movie choices and interviews

[@mayumiperez6328]

Y’all 32:00