N Is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdös
|
57 min
N is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdős is a portrait of Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős (1913–1996), who devoted his entire life to mathematics. Erdős published more than 1,500 papers and spent decades constantly travelling from one university and mathematical conference to another. He had no permanent home, no regular job, and almost no possessions. At the centre of his life were mathematical problems, proofs, and conversations with other mathematicians.
The film follows Erdős’s nomadic way of life and his extraordinary position at the heart of the international mathematical community. Although he deliberately lived outside the conventions of ordinary life, he was surrounded by a vast network of colleagues and friends who looked after his practical needs and provided him with places to work. In return, Erdős brought new ideas, knowledge, and problems wherever he went, inspiring collaborations and contributing to entire fields of mathematics. His influence is also reflected in the famous Erdős number, which describes the distance between mathematicians and Erdős through chains of co-authored papers. The honorary doctorate ceremony at Cambridge University in 1991 frames the story of a man for whom awards and recognition were secondary to the discovery of a new proof. N is a Number offers a warm and fascinating portrait of a man who gave up almost everything conventional in order to devote himself to knowledge and collaboration. For Erdős, mathematics was not simply a science, but a way of life, a community, and a way of understanding the world.
The screening is organized in collaboration with the Academic Association for Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MAL). It will be followed by a short discussion.
The film follows Erdős’s nomadic way of life and his extraordinary position at the heart of the international mathematical community. Although he deliberately lived outside the conventions of ordinary life, he was surrounded by a vast network of colleagues and friends who looked after his practical needs and provided him with places to work. In return, Erdős brought new ideas, knowledge, and problems wherever he went, inspiring collaborations and contributing to entire fields of mathematics. His influence is also reflected in the famous Erdős number, which describes the distance between mathematicians and Erdős through chains of co-authored papers. The honorary doctorate ceremony at Cambridge University in 1991 frames the story of a man for whom awards and recognition were secondary to the discovery of a new proof. N is a Number offers a warm and fascinating portrait of a man who gave up almost everything conventional in order to devote himself to knowledge and collaboration. For Erdős, mathematics was not simply a science, but a way of life, a community, and a way of understanding the world.
The screening is organized in collaboration with the Academic Association for Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MAL). It will be followed by a short discussion.
Language English
Subtitles No subtitles
Premiere 04.11.2026
Duration 57 min
Director
George Paul Csicsery
Production year
1993
Genre
Biography, Dokumentär
Distributor
Elävän kuvan keskus ELKE ry
Showtimes
Select
Filter
Monday 7/12
