There has been growing public demand for an economics, in which there is a place for clarity, methodological pluralism, social responsibility and ethical sensitivity. An idea was subsequently born that a new public image of economics has to be created, which would be able to explain the consequences of certain economic decisions to the wider audience and laymen and to incorporate broader concern for social good into its own theoretical edifice.

Understanding the importance of this problem prompted professor Paul Dembinski from Fribourg University, Switzerland, to start AREF (Association for the Renewal of Research and Teaching in Economics and Finance), in which leading Swiss specialists in economics and finance has been gathered together to popularize knowledge about those two disciplines. Professor Paul Dembiński proposed Faculty of Management and Economics at Gdańsk University of Technology to cooperate in organization of film meetings on economy and economics. Such initiative fits neatly within the strategy of the Association, since primarily the event’s goal is to disseminate knowledge about economics and financial markets in an unconventional and intelligible manner.

Film seems to be the medium cut out to fulfil this lofty educational and enlightening mission. Both documentary and feature films explain perfectly mechanisms and intricacies of economy and world of finance, enabling simultaneously to comprehend point of view of various social actors, their perceptual and cognitive frameworks and their guiding moral principles. Films affect the viewers, provoke discussion, arouse curiosity, trigger interest and sensitize the viewers to the importance of economic issues.

Formula of the conference

Our conference consists of two modules: one consists of documentary films and second of fictional films. Documentary films module consists of screenings of some of the most insightful documentaries recently made on the economy-related topics, preceded by a short lecture.

Fictional films module consists of a lecture by one of our keynote speaker which discusses certain aspects of a modern economy and economics, next illustrated by motion picture.