A Philosopher in the Arena (2019): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2019, A Philosopher in the Arena is a documentary film directed by Aarón Fernández, running about 105 minutes. “They reflect on mankind’s relationship with animals and nature, but most importantly on our relationship with death and the meaning of the ultimate journey: life itself.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. After his retirement, french philosopher and bullfighting enthusiast Francis Wolff decides to embark on a journey to France, Spain and Mexico joined by two mexican filmmakers who hardly know anything about bullfighting, a culture whose days seem to be numbered. During their road trip, they encounter numerous personalities with whom they reflect on mankind’s relationship with animals and nature, but most importantly on our relationship with death and the meaning of the ultimate journey: life itself.

Who’s in it. A Philosopher in the Arena stars Francis Wolff as Francis Wolff, Juan Ramón de la Fuente as Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Eduardo Matos Moctezuma as Eduardo Matos Moctezuma and José Cueli as José Cueli, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 2.0/10, A Philosopher in the Arena has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch A Philosopher in the Arena page.

If you liked it. Fans of A Philosopher in the Arena tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.