LSU Libraries hopes to broaden the public’s horizons with its first-ever film series.
Each of the four films showcased during the spring semester will be shown in the Hill Memorial Library lecture room at 2 p.m. A guest scholar will introduce each film.
The series begins Jan. 23 with “The September Issue,” a 2009 documentary that follows Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour’s preparations for the September 2007 issue.
An informational display on the films can be found in the lobby of Middleton Library, along with a library collection related to that month’s film.
“One of the most important things for us to do was to come up with new and creative ways for reaching people so that they could come into the library and know about what we have to offer,” said LSU Libraries Reference Assistant Coordinator Kelly Blessinger.
The library looked for films that would be entertaining and educational about topics that could be addressed from several points of view. One of its goals is to make students realize documentaries can be just as interesting as feature films.
The idea for the film series stemmed from the library’s new plan to fulfill the goals outlined in LSU’s Flagship 2020 Agenda.
The series will feature the 1989 film “Glory” in honor of Black History Month on Feb. 20. Matthew Broderick portrays Robert Gould Shaw, who led the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first all-black regiment, during the Civil War. Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman also star.
The 2011 documentary “Stolen” will air March 13 to commemorate Women’s History Month. This film exposes the horrors of human trafficking in African refugee camps.
The series comes to a close April 17 with “If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front.” The 2011 film explores a radical environmentalist group dedicated to the eradication of deforestation.
If this inagural series receives enough attention, it could become an annual event, Blessinger said.
Refreshments will be served, and attendees who fill out a quick survey may win prizes.
