Films from 14 countries will be screened for free during a foreign film series at Vanderbilt University running each Wednesday evening until April 16 except for spring break. Two bonus screenings will occur on Mondays.
The International Lens series begins Wednesday, Jan. 23, with Milano Calibro 9, an Italian crime caper from 1972.
All films begin at 7 p.m. in Sarratt Cinema in the Sarratt Student Center on the Vanderbilt campus and are free and open to the public. Most will feature introductions by experts from Vanderbilt and other universities, and some will have discussion periods after the screenings.
“One of Vanderbilt’s missions is to make our students true global citizens,” said Sherif Barsoum, director of international student and scholar services. “One way to do that is through the lens of film.
“We also want to reach out to members of the community who take an interest in foreign films, including immigrants to Middle Tennessee.”
The series is sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students and various departments at Vanderbilt collaborated to select the films and line up guest commentators. In some cases, the films are coordinated with the syllabuses of Vanderbilt courses and incorporated into classroom work.
“We hope these screenings complement the strong offerings at the Belcourt Theatre near Vanderbilt, with whom we continue to have a partnership,” said JoEl Logiudice, director of the office of arts and creative engagement.
The lineup for the International Lens series:
Wednesday, Jan. 23, Milano Calibro 9 (1972) from Italy, directed by Fernando Di Leo. Presented by the French and Italian Department.
Wednesday, Jan. 30, The Twilight Samurai (2002) from Japan, directed by Yoji Yamada. Presented by the East Asian Studies Department.
Wednesday, Feb. 6, The Lives of Others (2006) from Germany, directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. Presented by the Germanic and Slavic Languages Department.
Monday, Feb. 11, V-Day: Until the Violence Stops (2003) from the United States, directed by Abby Epstein. Presented by Project Safe and the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center.
Wednesday, Feb. 13, All About Darfur (2005) from the Sudan, directed by Taghreed Elsanhouri. Presented by the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center.
Monday, Feb. 18, Yesterday (2004) from South Africa, directed by Darrell James Roodt. Presented by the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center.
Wednesday, Feb. 20, Battle of Algiers (1966) from Algeria, directed by Gillo Pontecorvo. Presented by the Communication Studies and Film Studies programs.
Wednesday, Feb. 27, Vanaja (2006) from India, directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli. Presented by the Vanderbilt India Association.
Wednesday, March 12, Hijos de la Guerra (2007) from the United Kingdom, directed by Alexandre Fuchs. Presented by the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies.
Wednesday, March 19, The Return (2004) from Russia, directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev. Presented by the Germanic and Slavic Languages Department.
Wednesday, March 26, Pixote (1981) from Brazil, directed by Hector Babenco. Presented by the Theatre Department and Film Studies Program.
Wednesday, April 2, Night Stop (2001) from Mozambique, directed by Licinio Azevedo. Presented by the Institute for Global Health.
Wednesday, April 9, Le Corbeau (1943) from France, directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. Presented by the French and Italian Department.
Wednesday, April 16, Whiskey (2004) from Uruguay, directed by Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stoll. Presented by the Spanish and Portuguese Department.
The showing of Milano Calibro 9 on Jan. 23 will mark the beginning of the series, and free popcorn and drinks will be available to help celebrate. The film will be introduced by Luca Barattoni, lecturer of Italian at Clemson University. Barattoni will also speak at a lunch conversation and seminar from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, “Fernando Di Leo and the Italian Crime Thriller Genre of the ‘70s: Its influence on Quentin Tarantino and its Recent Developments.” To RSVP for the light lunch event, e-mail Elizabeth.shadbolt@vanderbilt.edu. For more information about the event, e-mail andrea.mirabile@vanderbilt.edu.
For more information on the series and updates as events are scheduled, go to www.vanderbilt.edu/internationallens or call 615-322-6400.
Media Contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu