April 17, 2007 — A series of independent films with political and social themes will screen at both UVI campuses beginning Friday as the Margaret Mead Film Festival comes to the territory.
The festival runs Friday through Sunday, presented by the American Museum of Natural History and the communications program of UVI’s Humanities and Social Sciences Division, according to a news release from UVI. The annual festival brings innovative non-fiction work to communities throughout the United States and abroad. Through UVI’s participation, six films will be available for community screening on both campuses. The films are “Sisters In Law,” “China Blue,” “A Flock of Dodos,” “El Inmigrante,” “Shooting Under Fire” and “Today’s Man.” The films look at issues like worker’s rights in China, Mexican-American migration, evolution, media coverage in war zones, women’s rights and autism.
“These films are real eye openers, world class cinematography and subjects that stretch the imagination and bring a slice of the outside world to our community,” said Alex Randall, communication professor at UVI. “There’s a whole lot of world out there and we don’t always get to see it. The films allow us to see the rest of the world from a point of view that is usually unavailable. The one about the kids in the Chinese blue jeans factory will blow your mind.”
The 22 children who were subjects of the film collectively earn less than $2 during the time it takes to see the movie, Randall noted.
Margaret Mead, in whose honor the festival was founded, was a noted anthropologist and author. She is acclaimed as one the most influential female thinkers in the social sciences. Randall, who was Mead’s student, considers her a pioneer of visual presentation of other people’s cultures. “I wanted to share her enthusiasm,” Randall said of his effort to bring the festival to the Virgin Islands.
The screenings are free and open to the public. Faculty from the humanities division will be on hand to lead discussions about the films. Seats will be filled on a first come, first served basis. For more information about the Margaret Mead Film Festival at UVI or UVI’s communication program call Randall at 693-1377 or 514-0880.
Following is the film's schedule with descriptions provided by UVI.
Margaret Mead Film Festival Schedule
Friday, April 20, 7:30 p.m.
St. Thomas campus Chase Auditorium room B-110 and St. Croix campus Evans Center room 401.
"China Blue." This film takes a look inside a blue jeans factory in southern China, where the lives of Jasmine and her friends are followed. The young working girls struggle to fulfill the impossible obligations forced upon them by the factory's owner. The complexities of globalization are brought to a human level through these moving portraits of the young workers who make our clothes.
"Sisters in Law." In this film the lawyers and judges in one small courthouse in Kumba, Cameroon are helping to transform women's and children's lives by protecting them from domestic violence. From the maker of “Divorce Iranian Style” and “Gaea Girls” comes this latest project celebrating dynamic women in non-traditional roles. It’s testament to how a few strong women can help to make an impact on individual lives as well as traditional world-views.
Saturday, April 21, 7:30 p.m.
St. Thomas campus Teacher’s Education Building room 101 and St. Croix campus Evans Center room 713.
"A Flock of Dodos." This film looks at the current debate over evolution versus intelligent design. Marine biologist turned filmmaker Randy Olson travels the country in search of an answer. He starts with his 82-year-old mother who is neighbors with the top lawyer for intelligent design in Olson's home state of Kansas, which is the epicenter of the controversy. This film gets beyond the tedium of the "debate" of who's right and who's wrong. Instead, it explores how those who embrace each side are "communicating" their ideas to the public.
"El Inmigrante." This film about the American and Mexican border crisis, illuminated by the story of Eusebio de Haro, a young Mexican migrant who was shot and killed during one of his journeys north. This event becomes the point of departure for a far more multi-layered border tale, one that's especially relevant in the face of our nation's current immigration dispute. The cast of this film is diverse, including Eusebio's family in Mexico, the community of Brackettville, Texas, the horseback border patrol in El Paso, and other migrants en route to the United States. Their perspectives come together to create a moving political commentary on the current state of border issues.
Sunday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.
St. Thomas campus Teacher’s Education Building room 101 and St. Croix campus Evans Center room 713.
"Shooting Under Fire." Modern warfare is carried out both on the battlefield and in the media. The public relies more and more on journalists and photographers to provide unbiased access to events as they happen. This film introduces Reinhard Krause, head of the Reuters photo bureau in the West Bank and Gaza, and his team of local Israeli and Palestinian photographers, who cover both sides of the Israeli conflict. This riveting film highlights the individuals who risk their lives to bring us the pictures.
"Today’s Man." Nicky Gottlieb is Today’s Man, a young man struggling to leave the comfort and safety of his parents' home and find his place in the world. While he can calculate the square root of any number in the blink of an eye, he has trouble reading the simplest of facial expressions, making social interaction difficult. At the age of 21, he is diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. This loving portrait by his filmmaker sister is both a personal exploration of one family's journey and a broader effort to understand this mysterious disorder.
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
