January 18-21, 2008 (MLK weekend)
Offered in conjunction with the 7th Whitehead International Film Festival
Taught by Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki
Special guest: Eva Saks, director
The class fulfills several purposes: 1) to increase our ability to understand the artistic merits in film; 2) to explore ways of utilizing films to probe issues of faith; 3) to serve as a jury for the 7th Annual Whitehead International Film Festival, deciding which of the ten feature films best meets the criteria of “Celebrating Films that Promote the Common Good.”
Because the class functions as a jury for the festival, it is necessary that the class have a private screening of the final film in order to include it in their deliberations. Therefore, the class will begin by watching The Namesake together. We will then use this viewing as background for the first day’s discussion.
Schedule
Friday, January 18, 2008
10:00 Private screening of The Namesake, followed by sandwich lunch (provided to class).
1:00 Prof. Jack Coogan will use the film to discuss ways of discerning artistic excellence in film-making.
2:00 Guest instructor Mary Herzog, professional script reader, will use the film to acquaint the class with issues involved in creating and judging scripts.
3:00 Class break.
3:20 Spirited class discussion and evaluation of The Namesake.
4:00 Several models for using films in church settings.
5:00 Class break.
5:30 Wine-cheese reception with Eva Saks, director of all ten of the short films we are screening at the festival.
6:00 Dinner, followed by speech from Eva Saks
7:30 Public screening of short, Colorforms, and feature, Tuya’s Marriage.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
9:00 Class meets with Eva Saks to discuss the making of short films.
10:00 Public screening of short, Energy, and feature, Mother of Mine.
1:00 Class discussion of Tuya’s Marriage and feature, Mother of Mine
2:00 Public screening of short, You Get My Goat, and feature, Witnesses
4:00 Class discussion of Witnesses
7:00 Public screening of short, Confection, and feature, Hounds
Sunday, January 20, 2008
1:00 Public screening of short, Two of a Kind, and feature, The Spirit of Places
2:45 Class discussion of Hounds, The Spirit of Places
4:00 Public screening of short, Sunday Sundae, and feature, Armin, followed by soup/bread/cheese supper (provided to class) and discussion of Armin.
7:00 Public screening of short, The Pizza Man, and feature, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
Monday, January 21, 2008
9:00 Class discussion of Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
10:00 Public Screening of short, Custody, and feature, Opal Dream
1:00 Class discussion of Opal Dream
2:00 Public screening of short, Zebra, and feature, Dreams of Dust
4:00 Dinner meeting, discussion of Dreams of Dust and determination of which film receives the Whitehead Award.
7:00 Public screening of short, Kylie, and feature, The Namesake
9:00 Announcement of Whitehead Award.
Course Leader:
Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki, professor emerita, Claremont School of Theology;
director of WIFF and Process & Faith, Ecumenical Prize jurist, Montreal Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival.
Location:
Mudd Theatre
Claremont School of Theology
1325 No. College Ave.
Claremont, CA