Columbus Jewish Film Festival - How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer

Directed by Jeff Zimbalist, Documentary, 2023, USA, 102 min.

From humble Brooklyn beginnings to the summit of cultural acclaim, the intimate portrait of a literary giant reveals a life as complex and contentious as the work he penned. How to Come Alive explores the rollercoaster life of America’s most controversial and best- selling author of the 20th century. Propelled by his tremendous ego and contrarian spirit, Mailer’s ceaseless visibility lasted 6 decades, 11 bestsellers, 3 arrests, 6 marriages, and 2 Pulitzer Prizes. Mailer’s ideas about love, anger, fear, and courage cut to the core of human nature and pointed to a prescription for waking ourselves up, shaking free of society’s expectations and coming alive as people. With full access to Mailer’s family and their archive, the film unearths a treasure trove of never -before -seen -footage and interviews from throughout his life. Mailer lays himself bare seeking most of all to become a bolder, better human being and encourages us to do the same – to think adventurously, speak fearlessly and careless about the consequences and coming alive as a people.

Tickets: $12

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