From Bosnia to France, students can cross the globe through a media of motion pictures courtesy of the Union Program Council International Committee.
The committee is hosting an international film festival, which started March 17 and continues until March 28. All features will be shown in the Colonnade Theater and admission is free.
“Our main goal with the International Film Festival is to showcase different cultures through the universality of movies,” said International Committee Chair Tammy Sam.
One of the aims of the committee is to incorporate more Americans into the international community, Sam said.
“Our motto is ‘Every one is international,'” Sam said. “We want more Americans to come out to the international events and to the committee meetings because they are international to the rest of the world.”
The group hopes the movies’ popularity will draw both foreign and native students together, said Sam.
Today the committee will showcase “Iron Monkey” at 7:30 p.m. It stars Yu Rong-Guang as a noble martial arts master who defies a corrupt government to give back to the poor. This action film runs a little more than an hour and is dubbed in Chinese.
The committee will show “Malena” on March 25 at 7:30 p.m. Set in the early years of World War II, the movie depicts an unusual romance between a young boy, Renato, and his object of fascination, Malena. Nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe in 2000, this Sicilian feature is in Italian with English subtitles.
March 27 will feature screenings of “Journey of Hope” and “Monsoon Wedding.” Both movies have been honored by American film award associations and reveal the social and political challenges of Eastern countries. “Journey of Hope” is based on the real life accounts of Turkish farmers trying to flee their homeland. This 1990 drama is a sober complement to the comedy “Monsoon Wedding.” Released last year, the film portrays the conflict between Indian tradition and contemporary Indian youth. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., the double feature will last until midnight.
The last day of the festival will feature “No Man’s Land,” an Academy Award and Golden Globe winner in 2001. The movie depicts a Siberian and a Bosnian soldier stuck on neutral territory and confined by flying bullets and an insatiable media.
“We tried to have movies that would attract men and women and have drama and comedy,” Sam said.
There will be free popcorn and chips. Students also can bring their own snacks into the theater.
Those interested in becoming involved with the International Committee can attend meetings every Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Council Room. To be added to the listserv, email upc_ [email protected].