This blog has been created so that members of the Civic Engagement Project Film and Lecture Committee can meet in virtual space to compile a list of potential films for the spring 2009 slate. This meeting will adjourn on October 1st so please post any film recommendations you have by then.
Just as a reminder, the Film Committee Protocol specifies the following regarding Meeting #1:
1.1- Meeting #1 will take place by email or in person no later than October 1st (Fall semester) and March 1 (Spring semester) to select 10-12 films to be previewed. All members of the Film and lecture Committee may suggest films for preview by the committee. Individuals who attend at least two Film and Lecture Committee meetings each year will be considered members. Films will be included on the preview list on a first-come first-served basis; extras will be bumped to the following semester.
When recommending a film to be previewed, committee member should do the following:
· See the film
· Make the film available to other committee members if the film is not available on netflix
· Include basic information such as an overview of the film, the year of production, distributor/producer, length and the cost of screening rights (if known)
Note: All films recommended with supporting material will make the “A” list while films recommended without supporting material will be put on the “B” list.
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16 comments:
Allan McKissick forwarded a movie possibility that he received from one of our classified employees - Colleen Norby. The name of the film is "Seoul Train". The movie explores the life and death of North Koreans as they try to escape their homeland and China.
The following comment was authored by Jason Wohlstadter:
I just watched a one-hour documentary called Nuestra Familia, which is about the gang crisis in the Central Valley (it focuses specifically on Salinas). I’m going to recommend it when we get to the point of making recommendations for the Spring. Anyway, since I own the DVD, I was wondering if anyone wanted to borrow it. Since it’s only September, you could see it at your leisure, and then pass it along to others who are interested. I’ll put our names on it, and people can cross them off as the film gets circulated.
I’ll pass the film along to the first person who responds to this message.
If you’re interested, the website for the film is at this address: http://nuestrafamiliaourfamily.org/
I am recommending two films:
FILM #1
Escape from Suburbia (2007, 94 minutes) can be viewed online by netflix members—the following synopsis is from the website http://escapefromsuburbia.com/
"Through personal stories and interviews we examine how declining world oil production has already begun to affect modern life in North America. Expert scientific opinion is balanced with “on the street” portraits from an emerging global movement of citizen’s groups who are confronting the challenges of Peak Oil in extraordinary ways.
The clock is ticking. ESCAPE From SUBURBIA asks the tough questions: Are we approaching Peak Oil now? What are the controversies surrounding our future energy options? Why are a growing number of specialists and citizens skeptical of these options? What are ordinary people across North America doing in their own communities to prepare for Peak Oil? And what will YOU do as energy prices skyrocket and the Oil Age draws to a close?"
FILM #2
Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial (2007, 120 minutes) can be viewed online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/id/program.html or borrowed from netflix--the following synopsis is from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/id/about.html
In this program, NOVA captures the turmoil that tore apart the community of Dover, Pennsylvania in one of the latest battles over teaching evolution in public schools. Featuring trial reenactments based on court transcripts and interviews with key participants, including expert scientists and Dover parents, teachers, and town officials, "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial" follows the celebrated federal case of Kitzmiller v. Dover School District. This two-hour special was coproduced with Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Productions, Inc.
My addendum: Judgement Day won a Peabody Award this year
The Film is "Paper Clips"
I have a copy of the video and it is available on netflix.
· Include basic information such as an overview of the film
Netflix Information: "Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee is the setting for this documentary about an extraordinary experiment in Holocaust education. Struggling to grasp the concept of 6 million Holocaust victims, the students decide to collect 6 million paper clips to better understand the enormity of the calamity. The film details how the students met Holocaust survivors from around the world and how the experience transformed them and their community." (NetFlix)
The year of production (2003)
Director: Elliot Berlin
Genre: Documentary
Distributor/producer: The Johnson Group
Length: 84 minutes
Cost of screening rights (if known): Unknown
Cheryl
Films: It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in Schools (1996) and It's Still Elementary (2007)
I have a copy of this film.
Information: "It takes cameras into classrooms across the U.S. to look at one of today's most controversial issues - whether and how gay issues should be discussed in schools...the film makes the case that all chidlren are affected by anti-gay prejudice and that adults have a responsiblity to address it." It's Still Elementary meets up with some of the students and teachers 10 years later.
Year of production: 1996 and 2007
Distributor/producer: New Day Films
Length: 78 minutes for both
Cost of screening rights (if known) Unknown
Thanks for the reminder, Debbie! I just saw a great film that my daughter recommended: War Dance. It's set in Uganda, and follows three kids in a refugee camp who get involved in a dance movement. It errs a bit on the entertaining side, but is still very topical and pretty intense. I think it was up for an Oscar.
Another film we should consider is "At the Death House Door". The film describes the life of a fundamentalist preacher who initially was pro-death penalty. However, after spending many years ministering to death row inmates, he came to realize that the death penalty is racist and wrong. Very powerful.
LECTURE (not film) idea - I'd like to propose a panel discussion on the terms "liberal" and "conservative" which, in my experience are easy labels to affix but no so easy to define clearly. While there might be a neat 5-10 minute youtube-esque video flick on this, the format would be presentation by political/historical scholars.
So...
1. Historical context/presentation of "conservative" and "liberal" - where do these terms come from? How have they evolved/changed? What are the essential elements? How do academics (both liberal and conservative) differ from the public in their understanding of these terms?
2. Historically, the "three top complaints" and the "three top fears" that conservatives have about liberals and vice versa (that liberals have about conservatives)
3. What are the three top achievements that liberals are most proud of? that conservatives are most proud of?
4. Finally, in what sense would Obama or X policies? be considered "liberal" and McCain or Y policies? be considered "conservative"?
Possible speakers - Stan State, UOP, MJC? I'll only do this if we can have either non-partisan for each or "conservative" scholar vs "liberal" scholar
Does anyone have the list of films that didn't make the cut for this fall? I'd like us to consider KING CORN for the spring about 2 guys from NYC who decide to find out for themselves how corn gets from the midwest to their McD burger... they grow their own corn in Iowa i think, receive subsidies, sell the corn, etc and on the way learn about the history of corn production and politics/consumtion of corn syrup, etc....
are there any documentaries out there about the financial crisis? causes, multiple perspectives, etc?
Bill - I think it's going to be difficult to find something about the current financial crisis as this whole thing happened so quickly. There are two films that might work in terms of describing the issue of "easy credit" and phenomenon of people maxing-out their credit cards. One is "Maxed Out" which is available for Instant Play on Netflix. The other is "In Debt We Trust" which is also available on Netflix (but not for Instant Play). The recent problems on Wall Street are a result of a culture of "anything goes" and "easy money". These were the same things that happened in the 1920's and which led to the Great Depression.
The following two recommendations are being forwarded on behal of Dan Onorato:
Here are two film suggestions for next semester:
1. The Visitor: this powerful movie, shown a few months ago at the State, deals with the issue of immigration through a moving story of friendship, growth in understanding, and personal tragedy. I imagine the discussion following the film as rich and lively. This is one of the finest films I've seen this past year. I hope it will get an Oscar. Because the topic of immigration will arise in the next 4 years, and because this film treats it with such humanity and compassion, I think it's very timely.
2. Jerusalem...the eastside story. This is the latest film by Palestinian-American director Mohammed Alatar, who made The Iron Wall, which we showed last year and which was followed by a most informative discussion. Everyone can see this on Sunday, Nov. 2, because Mr. Alatar will show the film at the Church of the Brethren at 3:00 p.m. See below the Stanislaus Connections article I wrote for the November issue. I recommend this film, at this point, on the quality of Alatar's first film, which I own and have seen a few times, and because this film will educate our audience about this aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Palestinian film maker to show Jerusalem film in Modesto By DAN ONORATO
In his recent book, “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid,” Jimmy Carter recommends seeing the acclaimed documentary “The Iron Wall,” made in 2006 by Palestinian-American Mohammed Alatar. Now Mr. Alatar has made a second film, showing widely in Europe and now on tour in this country, that will be in Modesto on Sunday, Nov.2. On that afternoon at 3:00 at the Modesto Church of the Brethren, on 2301 Woodland Ave., Mr. Alatar will present his “Jerusalem. . . the Eastside Story.”
As the film’s website states, “The documentary takes you on a journey exposing Israel’s policy to gain supremacy and hegemony over the city and its inhabitants. It also touches on the future of the city: Jerusalem is the key to peace . . .” (http://www.eastsidestory.ps ) Film reviewer Sam Bahour writes that the film “exposes the past 40 years of Israeli military occupation policies in Jerusalem and their devastating impact on the city and its peoples.” He adds that it reveals Israel’s “strategic policies that aim to Judaize the city and control Palestinian demographic growth. The resulting collective punishment is part of a larger scheme to pressure Palestinians into submission or flight.” (http://www.amin.org )
Including a panorama of past and current history along and interviews with Palestinian and Israeli leaders, human rights activists, and political analysts, the film helps viewers understand why resolving the conflict over the control of Jerusalem is crucial to a lasting and secure peace for both peoples.
Mohammed Alatar was born in a Jordanian refugee camp and is a long-time peace activist working for an independent Palestinian state that is economically viable, living side by side with Israel in peace. He founded Palestinians for Peace and Democracy, and lives currently in San Antonio, Texas. He travels frequently to Israel and the Palestinian Territories to work on his educational film projects. In 2002 he was nominated for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Humanity for his dedication to promoting human rights.
The film showing and discussion with Mr. Alatar are sponsored by the Modesto Peace/Life Center and the Church of the Brethren. The event is free, but donations for the film maker’s work will be accepted. All are invited.
ACTION: Learn more about the conflict overJerusalem from the film website, listed above. The links “Jerusalem” and “Did you know?” offer useful resources and important historical information that most readers are probably not familiar with.
In response to Bill's request for a film about the financial crisis, at the last CEP general meeting we talked about I.O.U.S.A. but it sounded as if ASMJC might be screening it this semester. I haven't seen it yet, but it is on my list to see...if ASMJC doesn't screen it, we might.
In response to Bill's other comment asking about the list of films that didn't make the cut for this fall, I'm looking at my notes and we had discussed reconsidering Taxi to the Dark Side, Unsettled and Encounter Point. We were pretty unanimous regarding King Corn; I think it just didn't fit into the slate. So should we add these four back in? That makes 16 films on the "A" list which is a lot.
I talked with Laura Paull today and she said that after seeing "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?", we might want to consider it as well. The movie is done by Morgan Spurlock who did "SuperSize Me" a few years ago. Jim Clarke
Comments below are from Dan Onorato;
I recommend a documentary called "The Order of Myths," which played on the Independent Lens PBS series on Tuesday night of this week. It deals with the separate white and black Mardi Gras celebrations that take place each year in Mobile, Alabama, whose Mardi Gras festivities were the first in this country, even before those of New Orleans. The film covers the 2007 celebrations. With Barak Obama's election, some people may feel we can put the issue of racism behind us. But this film lets the racial realities of Mobile speak for themselves. A panel of local black people would help bring the issue home to our area.
Maybe CEP film committee members could view it on PBS. I'm not sure. In any case, it's thoughtful and stirs important questions.
Dan
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