Physics for Poets Launch Screening

A bold docudrama on Galileo’s dilemma—where science, truth, and power collide in a striking vision of past and present.

Join us for the launch screening of Physics for Poets, an 83-minute feature docudrama that brings Galileo’s historic confrontation with authority into sharp contemporary focus.

Blending historical drama with magical realism, the film unfolds over one pivotal night in 1633, as Galileo grapples with truth, power, and consequence. Ghostly visits from Johannes Kepler echo across time, connecting the birth of modern science to today’s technological age—and asking: Who is in charge?

Minimalist staging, jewel-toned costumes, and innovative lighting create a timeless visual world where ideas take centre stage. At its heart, Physics for Poets explores a question that feels more urgent than ever:

The more technology we have, the more philosophy we need.

Following the screening, guests are invited to a meet-and-greet reception with writer/producer/director Gina Payzant and key members of the creative team.

An evening of cinema, conversation, and cosmic perspective awaits.

Please visit this link to view the trailer.

About the Filmmaker & Production

Gina Payzant is an independent Canadian filmmaker whose work bridges rigorous research, theatrical discipline, and cinematic craft. With roots in educational media, theatre, and documentary production, her films demonstrate a deep engagement with philosophical inquiry and formal experimentation. Physics for Poets began as a play script written by Payzant in the late 1980s, motivated by emergent questions around technology, authority, and truth. Supported initially by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the script evolved over decades, eventually adapting into a feature-length docudrama screenplay.

Production took place in May 2024 at the Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta’s Studio B, where Payzant directed a professional ensemble cast and crew under ACTRA-compliant conditions. The film was shot with a deliberately minimalist aesthetic—sparse environments, jewel-toned period costuming, and stylized lighting—designed to foreground narrative tension and conceptual clarity. Cinematographer and editor Jared Paull collaborated closely with Payzant to shape the visual and rhythmic language of the piece.

The project secured additional support through grants, including renewed backing from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and assistance from the National Film Board Filmmaker Assistance Program, enabling post-production work in editing, sound design, colour grading, and original music composition. The completed film synthesizes historical scholarship on Galileo with contemporary concerns about technological acceleration, making Physics for Poets both a work of historical reflection and a relevant artistic interrogation for today’s audiences.

Reel Mensch Studio is the creative home of writer and director Gina Payzant, supporting the development and production of independent, research-driven films that explore the intersection of science, history, and art. Physics for Poets was made possible through the collaboration of dedicated Alberta artists and technicians, with production support from the Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta (FAVA), ACTRA, post-production support from the National Film Board, Filmmaker Assistance program, and guidance from science and arts organizations including the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and Telus World of Science Edmonton.