Overview
- The Basics of Philosophy had its world premiere out of competition at the Venice Film Festival on Friday, September 4, 2026.
- The 94-minute drama, written and directed by Schrader and starring Jack Huston and Sofia Boutella, centers on a philosophy professor whose long-buried transgression returns to trouble his life.
- Critics gave the film mixed reviews that frequently referenced the April 2025 public allegations against Schrader, with several reviewers debating the ethics of screening and financing work by an accused director.
- Martin Scorsese is credited as an executive producer, the film is searching for U.S. distribution, and sales agents listed include CAA Media Finance for the U.S. and Noora Films internationally.
- Schrader, now planning three more features — an erotic thriller, an ayahuasca-centered film, and a reconfigured project to be made with AI — signaled he will remain prolific, a fact likely to keep the controversy and distribution questions in play.