Friday, January 7, 2011

Cinema Politica: Being Human


Gallery 1C03 and the UWSA are back with another academic term full of film screenings thanks to our membership with the international film screening network Cinema Politica.

Our first screening of the term takes place Wednesday, January 12 at 7 p.m. in Eckhardt-Gramatte Hall (3rd floor of Centennial Hall at The University of Winnipeg). We will present Being Human, directed by Denys Desjardins (Canada, 2005, French with English subtitles), a film that explores the public education system.

Being Human enters the daily lives of "problem cases" at a Montreal secondary school that sits at the bottom of the school performance rankings. Desjardins sweeps away preconceptions about the quality of teaching in disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the alleged deliquency of the kids who live there. Being Human is a subtle, captivating film that gives new impetus to the debate over public education. It is a far reaching examination of student life that stimulates reflection on the role of school in our society and asks how willing we are to support and finance the school system so that it will not be merely a factory churning out parts for the social machine.

Being Human was selected for screening by the Coordinators of the UWSA's Peer Support Program. A discussion will follow the film facilitated by Donna Copsey-Haydey from the Faculty of Education at The University of Winnipeg.

The screening will be open to everyone and admission is free, although we do encourage donations to help cover our costs.

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