"Bronx Socrates" A Stand-Up Intellectual

A film about one university professor that stands as a tall example of what it means to be a truly great teacher: Bob Gurland.

LOS ANGELES, July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pollack Films announced today that their documentary film Bronx Socrates will make its world premiere on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at the Long Beach International Film Festival. The screening will take place at Molloy University's Madison Theatre at 7:00pm.

"Teaching is like sculpting in snow," the American philosopher Sidney Hook was fond of saying, "You just never know what people will take away." NYU philosophy professor Bob Gurland spent the better part of seven decades in classrooms at all levels of formal education. He taught more than 25,000 students throughout his tenure and his lasting impact on our modern world is virtually immeasurable.

Directed and Produced by Joseph Di Salvo, the film is a heartfelt tribute to his teacher and mentor. Professor Gurland is more than a mentor to Joe; he is his role model and dear friend. Joe hopes that the film will connect Gurland with the world. The film shares Bob's teaching principles and philosophical perspectives and will serve as his continuing legacy. Joe continues in his mentor's footsteps as a professor of philosophy at NYU, and with great determination he carries on Bob's tradition of impacting the lives of his students, affecting the way they think, the way they learn, and the way they interact with others.

"Joe Di Salvo's ode to his mentor is the very essence of impactful filmmaking," says Michael Pollack, Producer and CEO of Pollack Films. "Bronx Socrates is Joe's gift to all of us. While his original intent may have been to honor Bob, he has done so much more. He has honored teaching, mentorship, thoughtful dialogue, and critical thinking. He has given hope to a world that is in desperate need to believe that one person can make a difference."

The documentary Bronx Socrates, through a series of interviews with and about Professor Gurland, connects the audience with one of the great minds of American Academia. His insights, humor, and vision of life, and its meaning, have helped countless students make their way through the world. Like the Socrates of old, Gurland has built his legacy as a teacher, not an author, having published precious little in the academic or commercial press.

Gurland's legacy is measured by the impact he has had on the lives of those who have heard him speak. Bob has taught a multi-faceted and integrated philosophy of life, founded upon resilience, gratitude, and the power of intellectual curiosity. The scope of Gurland's legacy has inspired multiple generations of teachers, soldiers, executives, and entrepreneurs, and it is immeasurable. For all those who have known the experience of having a great teacher in their lives, Bronx Socrates will be an inspirational reminder of how fortunate they have been. For those not so fortunate, the film will introduce them to a legendary figure that will not only show them what they have been missing but should also play a big part in filling that void.

Born in the Bronx on October 14, 1933, Bob Gurland is a quintessential New York American success story.  A first-generation, first-born son of European immigrants, he was a professional trumpeter and a minor league baseball player prior to settling into his teaching career as an elementary school teacher.  Bob pursued his Ph.D. in philosophy from New York University, studying under the tutelage of Sidney Hook and William Barrett. On the day Bob defended his doctoral dissertation in 1971, NYU presented him with a contract to teach at the university, which began a tenure at the school for more than a half-century.

"Real teaching is about genuinely connecting with your students as people.  They don't care how much you know unless they know how much you care." - Bob

His students universally know how much he cares. Their testimony is reflected in the film in the reading of their letters and emails sent to him over decades.

Pollack Films is a Los Angeles based production company with a rich legacy of storytelling that makes a difference.

Bronx Socrates will make its world premiere at the Long Beach International Film Festival at 7:00pm on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. The screening will be held at Molloy University's Madison Theatre located at 1000 Hempstead Ave. Rockville Centre NY, 11570. Tickets are available on the festival website.

For press inquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:

Henry Walker
10300 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel: 330-212-7990
[email protected]

SOURCE Pollack Films