Film Series
Time and energy permitting, the Anthropology Student Union
will offer a film series in the fall and spring semesters of
the academic year. Each semester, the ASU will show feature
length films, documentaries, or a mix of related visual media.
The topical focus, decided at the beginning of the semester,
may highlight any number of issues. Themes may draw particular
attention to a foreign country/culture, or pay credence to domestic
matters.
It is our belief that images, whether recorded by anthropologists
or filmmakers, are often part of a broader society-wide set
of ideas. By studying visual media, by delving critically into
the explanatory power of film, we may yet come to a more general
understanding of cultural difference and representation.
Show time and location will be posted on this site and circulated
via handout around campus. All film showings are free unless
otherwise indicated. This program is not a public showing and
is for educational purposes only. Seating may be limited depending
on the turnout. Discussion of the material is most welcome after
the film has ended.
Keep checking this space for updates on the Fall 2006 film
series.
Innocence Lost: Child Outcasts of
the Brazilian Social System
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CITY OF GOD (2003) –
Fernando Meirelles’ internationally acclaimed crime
thriller, City of God is an “intoxicating shot of
cinematic adrenaline” that explores the violent
world of a Rio de Janeiro favela. Based on the novel by
Paulo Lins, who spent decades living in the shantytown
himself, Cidade de Deus is a ‘gritty’ and
‘authentic’ portrayal of the poverty stricken
inner-city landscape.
130 min. 8pm, Friday, 11 February, 2301 Sangren
Hall |
 |
CENTRAL STATION
(1999) – Directed by Walter Salles and produced
by Arthur Cohn, “Central do Brasil” is an
exceptional film that finds its roots in neo-realism.
The movie outlines the saga of a nine-year-old orphaned
boy named Josué, who treks across Brazil in search
of his long lost father. The film won numerous awards
for dramatic performance, cinematography, and for its
natural communication of Brazilian culture.
106 min. 8pm, Friday, 25 February, 2304 Sangren
Hall |
 |
BEHIND THE SUN (2001) – Adapted
from the novel Broken April by Albanian writer Ismail
Kadare, Behind the Sun is set in the rugged northeastern
sertão of Brazil, in the early 1900s. In this environment
we meet Pacu (Ravi Ramos Lacerda), a young boy whose life
is grieved by his daily work regime on the family sugar-cane
mill, and by the violent land war confrontations plaguing
the area. The film gives testament to the ties between
violence and familial honor, and the escapist powers of
a child’s imagination.
105 min. 8pm, Friday, 11 March, 2304 Sangren Hall |
 |
BUS 174 (2003) –
Jose Padilha’s stunning documentary of the Rio de
Janeiro 2000 bus hijacking, Bus 174 garnered numerous
awards for its exploration of street poverty, crime, and
its portrait of the life of hijacker Sandro Do Nascimento.
A compilation of television footage, witness accounts,
and various interviews, Padilha’s compelling documentary
gives testament to the desperate attempt of the homeless
to be recognized as living breathing members of Brazilian
society.
122 min. March 25, 8pm, 2304 Sangren Hall |
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