Life > February 10, 2005

By Caitlin Kenney

Life Editor

Though it may not have crossed the average college student’s radar yet, the world of film is a lot more extensive than Brad Pitt’s latest $200 million blockbuster.

College settings have always been hotbeds for independent films and our campus is no exception.

With the introduction of a film studies minor this academic year, faculty and students with a love for film have been able to come together like never before.

“We’ve always had film series on campus,” said Mary Dalton, an assistant professor of communications, “now there’s just a central clearing house.”

This central clearing house is Peter Brunette, a Reynolds professor of film studies, who serves as the newly appointed head of the film department. Brunette said that his original plan was to sponsor a weekly film series, but he decided it would be counterproductive due to the large number of films already being shown by foreign language departments.

This semester Russian, Japanese, African and Spanish film series have been scheduled.

In order to provide variety, Brunette has arranged to work with the N.C. School of the Arts to show more irregular films.

Last semester he was able to bring screenwriter Jose Rivera to campus, who has received an Oscar nomination for The Motorcycle Diaries.

Brunette hopes to showcase similar presentations this semester, beginning with Frank Eaton and his documentary, Invisible States.

Eaton is a local filmmaker who is using college students as a test audience for his documentary, which follows a collective as they give punk rock concerts and tour the country.

Feedback from the question-and-answer session following the 7 p.m. showing tonight will affect Eaton’s final editing choices.

Each film series being offered this semester has a strikingly different purpose and focus.

David Philips, the chair of the department of East Asian languages and culture, says that their Japanese film series is simply meant to provide entertainment and to serve as an outlet for those interested in Japanese culture.

Philips recommends After Life, to be shown Feb. 15, as the film not to miss. The story follows a man suspended in Limbo who can only keep one memory. He spends the entire movie trying to decide which memory he wants to keep, and heavenly attendants eventually play that memory out for him.

Philips described the movie as completely different from anything he had ever seen.

Susan Rupp, an associate professor of history, is taking a different approach with the Russian film series.

Rupp is using the series in conjunction with her classes to chronologically portray Russian culture.

Some of the earliest films are from the silent picture area and later films will focus on communist and post-communist Russia.

The films are being shown at 7 p.m. every Sunday night in Greene 239, and Rupp recommends Jolly Fellows, a musical comedy from the Stalinist era, being shown Feb. 27. 

Rupp says that she has tried to host several film series in the past with little success.

“Attendance was miserable,” she said. Rupp doesn’t understand why so few students take advantage of the films shown on campus.

“I think it’s a great opportunity. At least the students who are compelled to go will bring more interest into their coursework. That’s the idealist in me at least,” she said.

Rupp’s concern over student apathy was echoed by Dalton, Philips and Brunette. Brunette thinks part of the problem may be a lack of student awareness and the unorganized nature of the current system.

His plan is to design a Web site that will list time and place for all the film series on campus.

“Whenever you want to see a movie, you’ll be able to go to one place and find out what’s going on,” Brunette said.

For now, departments have to struggle to advertise their respective series and resort to requiring their students to attend in order to improve attendance.

Spanish students are required to do several extracurricular activities throughout the semester, making the Spanish film series one of the most highly attended.

This semester they will show films on Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. in Greene 239.

The Spanish film series, like the Japanese and African series, makes it a point to show modern films shot within the last five years.

Maria llena de gracia, being shown March 14, was shot in 2004 and lead actress Catalina Sandino Moreno has received an Oscar nomination for her role as a Colombian drug mule.

Sarah Barbour, an associate professor of romance languages, is using the pull of a creative presenter and the novel nature of her series to draw a crowd.

African film has been underserved on campus, the last series being shown in the ‘90s by former professor Debra Boyd.

Boyd is a regular at FESPACO, the African equivalent of the Oscars and has spoken with many of the premier African filmmakers. She has been asked to serve as presenter for the series.

The African series will also feature a presentation at 7 p.m.  March 22 by Francoise Pfaff, who will discuss Hollywood’s portrayal of African film.

Pfaff recently finished a book about Ousmane Sembene, the director of Faat Kine, which will be shown at 7 p.m.  Feb. 20 in Pugh Auditorium.

After college, opportunities to see independent and edgy films will plummet. Foreign films have little to no market in the United States, due to the overwhelming Hollywood monopoly.

Take advantage of this opportunity and shed the role of apathetic student.

Further information about the film series, including times, places and brief summaries, are available on each department’s specific Web site.