January 16-19, 2009 (MLK weekend)
Offered in conjunction with the 8th Whitehead International Film Festival
Taught by Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki
Special guest: Fernando Diaz, director of The Stranger (Argentina)
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 8th 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 Faro together. We will then use this viewing as background for the first day’s discussion.
Schedule
Friday, January 16, 2009
10:00 Private screening of Faro, followed by sandwich lunch (provided to class).
1:00 Guest speakers on how to discern artistic excellence in film-making, issues involving scripts.
3:00 Class break.
3:20 Spirited class discussion and evaluation ofFaro.
4:00 Several models for using films in church settings.
5:00 Class break.
5:30 Wine-cheese reception with Fernando Diaz, director of festival-opening film, The Stranger
6:00 Dinner, followed by speech from Fernando Diaz
7:30 Public screening of short, Father, and feature, The Stranger.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
9:00 Class meets with Fernando Diaz to discuss the making of his film
10:00 Public screening of short, My Dad Ralph, and feature, The Trap.
1:00 Class discussion of the Stranger and feature, The Trap
2:00 Public screening of short, YNo Bikini, and feature, XXY
4:00 Class discussion of XXY
7:00 Public screening of short, Better or Worse, and feature, Joyeux Noel
Sunday, January 18, 2009
1:00 Public screening of feature, Echoes of Home
2:45 Class discussion of Joyeux Noel and Echoes of Home
4:00 Public screening of feature, BenX, followed by soup/bread/cheese supper (provided to class) and discussion of Echoes of Home
7:00 Public screening of short, Itsy Bitsy, and feature, Arranged
Monday, January 19, 2009
9:00 Class discussion of Arranged
10:00 Public Screening of short, The Great Zambini, and feature, The Band's Visit
1:00 Class discussion of The Band's Visit
2:00 Public screening of short, Aided Migration , and feature, The Visitor
4:00 Dinner meeting, discussion of The Visitor and determination of which film receives the Whitehead Award.
7:00 Public screening of short, Man in the Moon , and feature, Faro
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