It is not often that foreign films make their way to Baton Rouge’s big screens.
The Union Program Council is changing this by offering students the chance to see three foreign films at the 2008 International Film Festival. It begins Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Theater with “The Last King of Scotland” and will continue through February.
Mansi Vaishnav, biological sciences junior and UPC International Committee Chair, said the films that will be shown this year were chosen based on how appealing they would be to everybody, not just people from the country featured in the film.
“The movies that we choose have to be international,” Vaishnav said. “The director can be American, and it can be a Hollywood film, but it has to show the culture of another country. They’re definitely names that people have heard of, but most likely you haven’t seen it.”
The other films that will be shown are “Volver” and “Osama.” All three films have been nominated for or have won Oscars or Golden Globes.
“The Last King of Scotland” is an American film but tells the story of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and his relationship with his personal physician.
“Volver” is a Spanish film with subtitles about family conflict and the problems that bring them together. It will be shown Feb. 12.
Vaishnav believes people will have misconceptions upon seeing the title of the third film, “Osama,” but the film is not about bin Laden as many might think. “Osama is a really popular name in Middle Eastern countries,” Vaishnav said. “It’s about the Taliban and Afghanistan. [The Taliban] is taking over. There’s a mom and her daughter that want to escape, but since [the Taliban] is prejudiced against women, she dresses her daughter up as a son and names her Osama.”
“Osama” is the first film shot entirely in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban, according to the UPC Web site. It will be shown Feb. 20.
Vaishnav said one of the reasons many of the foreign films are not well known is that there may not be a high demand for them in the area.
“Sometimes you hear about a movie, and you can’t go see it because it’s playing in select theaters,” Vaishnav said. “Limited knowledge of the movie causes limited want for the movie, and so nobody brings it, because everything costs money.”
Vaishnav said showing international films is a good way to expose people to other cultures.
“LSU itself has so many students from different countries,” Vaishnav said. “I feel like by showing movies, it’s a really fun and easy way to introduce people to a different country. Who doesn’t enjoy a good movie? The films cover big regions that are represented at this school.”
Many students agree that Americans are not exposed enough to media from other countries.
“I would say that we are not exposed to any of the great films from other countries,” said Laura Rachal, French and biological sciences junior. “We pretty much rely on Hollywood. It’s amazing to see what can come out of other countries.”
Jeffrey Sullivan, accounting junior, agreed.
“I think we’re not exposed enough,” Sullivan said. “I don’t know anything about movies from other countries.”
All films are free and will be shown at the Student Union Theater at 7 p.m.
—-Contact Sarah Aycock at [email protected]