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Welcome to the updates page. You’ll find news about the Film Minor, upcoming events, and more. Here’s the latest:





12/1/09




The Student Film Club meets for a final time this year on Wednesday, December 2, for a special screening event!
Tonight, the Film Club will celebrate the end of the semester, and the end of another terrific film series, with a trip to see Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Anderson's film, which was released a little more than a week ago, is an adaptation of Raold Dahl's classic children's story. Anderson depicts the fantastic tale with the use of stop action animation that is both classic and breathtakingly fresh and new. Join us if you can, but join us early as the Film Club can take only about 15 or so people to the screening. Contact the Student Film Club if you want to attend the screening. And thanks to all Film Club members for another great semester!

11/19/09



Update: Spring 2010 classes
A film course has been added to the Spring 2010 schedule. For minors who are looking for a class that meets the Cluster 2 requirement, consider ASST 240: Chinese Cinema. See below scroll down to the Oct. 1 update) for details.

11/18/09



The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, November 18), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight's film is John Ford's magnificent adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath (1940). Stars Henry Fonda as Tom Joad, who leads his family west to California during the Great Depression. This is a perfect combination: one of the great American novels, adpated by one of the great American directors (Ford won the Oscar for Best Direction). Join us 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

11/11/09



The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, November 11), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight's film is Peter Bogdanovich's acclaimed film, The Last Picture Show (1971). Based on the novel by Peter McMurtry, who wrote the screenplay with Bogdanovich, the film stars Timothy Bottoms, Cybill Shepherd, and Jeff Bridges coming of age in a small Texas town. Noted for its poetic realism, this bittersweet film was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. It won two--one for Best Actor (Ben Johnson) and one for Best Actress (Cloris Leachman). Join us tonight at 7:00pm in ECTR 118

11/04/09




The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, November 4), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight's film is Stanley Kubrick's Lolita (1962), which is adapted by Vladimir Nabokov from his controversial novel (with some major revisions by Kubrick). "How did they ever make a movie of Lolita??!" was the industry buzz back in 1962. Well, they just did (with a few minor adjustments, such as changing Lolita's age from 12 to 14). Although James Mason's performance is terrific, and Shelley Winters is astounding (she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress), it is Peter Sellers's Clare Quilty that steals the show. Join us tonight in ECTR 118 at 7:00pm.

11/04/09 The Sophia Institute is looking for an intern or volunteer videographer/editor
If you have experience as a videographer and/or editor, the Sophia Institute needs someone to film and edit its events. For more information about the Sophia Institute, you can visit their website here. If you're interested, in volunteering, contact me and I forward your name.



11/04/09




Reminder: the Italian Film Festival begins tomorrow, November 5
The Department of French, Francophone and Italian Studies is sponsoring a film series, running November 5-7, that explores the unifying power of food and cinema. With the generous support of Slow Food of Charleston and several local Italian restaurants, the series will kick off with a catered reception, November 5, from 5:30 to 6:30 in Sottile Theatre (where all films will be screened). For information about films and times, visit the Italian Film Festival web site here.

10/26/09





The Student Film Club meets this Wednesday, October 28, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
In the spirit of Halloween, this week's film is The Dead Zone (1983), directed by David Cronenberg and adapted from the novel by Stephen King. In my mind, this is one of the best films to be adapted from Stephen King material. Certainly right up there with Kubrick's The Shining (1980). Johnny Smith (played by Christopher Walken) has the power to see into people's past, present, and future, simply by touching them. This power, which Johnny gets after an awful car accident, haunts him. But somehow he must figure out how to use this power to--you guessed it--save mankind. Cronenberg (who also directed such classics as Videodrome, The Fly, Naked Lunch, and A History of Violence) handles the screenplay (adapted by Jeffrey Boam) beautifully. Join us at 7:00pm.

10/26/09



Calling all aspiring screenwriters!
This is the word going out from the Charleston International Film Festival. Caroline Eubanks writes in the Charleston City Paper: "The Charleston International Film Festival is seeking entires for their April 8-11 event. Both filmmaking and screenwriting submissions can be offered. Guidelines can be found on the film festival's website at charlestoniff.com. The top 25 perfcent of the screenplays will be official selections, and awards will be given out at the gala ceremony on April 4. All submissions must be received by Dec. 16, 2009."

10/21/09 The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, October 21), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight's film is Diary of a Country Priest (dir, Robert Bresson, 1951). Based on the 1936 novel by Georges Bernanos, Bresson's film is a fascinating study in the art of adaptation. By eliminating minor characters, Bresson (who adapted the screenplay) could preserve, word for word, the original dialogue of the principal character, a timid and fragile young priest (played by Claude Laydu) who finds himself poorly adjusted to his first parish. Film scholar André Bazin said this of tonight's film: "The aesthetic pleasure we derive from Bresson's film, while the acknowledgment for it goes, essentially, to the genius of Bresson, includes all that the novel has to offer plus, in addition, its refraction in the cinema." Join us tonight at 7:00pm.


10/19/09




Correction/reminder: an Evening with Filmmaker Su Friedrich, tonight (Monday October 19) at 7:30pm in Admissions Auditorium.
Su Friedrich is an award-winning filmmaker and Professor in the Center for the Creative and Performing Arts at Princeton University. Her films, inlcuding Sink or Swim (1990) and Hide and Seek (1996), have been the subject of retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, as well as the London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. She will be speaking about her work and her experiences as a filmmaker. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to engage with an artist whose work continues to challenge and inspire. For more information, visit Su Friedrich's web site here. This event is free and open to the public. Please note the venue/time listed in the 10/12/09 update is incorrect.

10/14/09 The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, October 14), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This series continues with François Truffaut's 1978 film, The Green Room. Based loosely on the Henry James story "Altar of the Dead," the film stars Truffaut himself in the lead role: a man who has become obsessed with the memory of his dead wife. The film, a relatively obscure one in the Truffaut ouvre, is equisitely shot and emotionally powerful. Tonight's screening will be introduced by Dr. Mike Duvall, Assistant Professor of English. Join us 7:00pm.


10/13/09



Speaking of Italian films...
Have you considered the Ischia study abroad program? It's is a two-week, 6-credit program in Ischia, Italy. Students will take two 3-credit courses, including LTIT 270: Introduction to Italian Film, taught by the College of Charleston's own Giovanna De Luca, Associate Professor of Italian. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in the Ischia Film Festival! The program runs June 14 to July 10. For more information, you can download a brochure here.

10/13/09



The Italian Film Festival will be held November 5-7. This year's theme: food and film!
The Department of French, Francophone and Italian Studies is sponsoring a film series that explores the unifying power of food and cinema. With the generous support of Slow Food of Charleston and several local Italian restaurants, the series will kick off with a catered reception, November 5, from 5:30 to 6:30 in Sottile Theatre (where all films will be screened). For information about films and times, visit the Italian Film Festival web site here.

10/13/09


The 5th Annual Student Film Festival web page is up! Bookmark it and check back frequently for updates.
To stay informed about the 5th Annual Student Film Festival, which is coming in March 2010, click here.

10/12/09




An Evening with Filmmaker Su Friedrich, Monday October 19 at 7:00pm in Physicians Auditorium.
Su Friedrich is an award-winning filmmaker and Professor in the Center for the Creative and Performing Arts at Princeton University. Her films, inlcuding Sink or Swim (1990) and Hide and Seek (1996), have been the subject of retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, as well as the London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. She will be speaking about her work and her experiences as a filmmaker. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to engage with an artist whose work continues to challenge and inspire. For more information, visit Su Friedrich's web site here. This event is free and open to the public.

10/07/09



The 5th Annual College of Charleston Student Film Festival is coming in March 2010. Do you know where your film is?
If you wish to submit a film for next year's festival (scheduled for late March, exact date TBD) then START FILMING NOW!!! You can view the top three winner's of the 4th Annual Student Film Festival at the College of Charleston's iTunes page. Just click here. For questions about free equipment loan (digital camera, tripod, microphone and boom) contact me, the Director of the Film Studies program.

10/07/09



The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, October 7), at 7:00pm in the Communications Museum screening room.
This semester's film series continues with Alain Renais's Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959). Based on the novel by Marguerite Duras. This was among three key films that launched the French New Wave. Join us at 7:00pm in the screening room of the Communications Museum (58 George St., across from CVS).

10/01/09 
Registration for Spring, Maymester and May evening 2010 is soon underway. Do you know what film courses are being offered?
Be sure to check back for changes and additions.

Spring 2010
Bruns, J
ENGL 212: Cinema: History & Criticism
TR 12:15-1:30
ECTR 118
Cossa, F.
ARTH 293: Introduction to Film Arts*
M 4:00-6:00, Th. 4:00-5:00
Simons Center 309
De Luca, G
LTIT 370: New Italian Cinema**
W 3:00-5:45
ECTR 118
Moscowitz, D
COMM 380: ST: Film, Gender, and the Body***                      
R 3:15-6:45
ECTR 116
Jin, Lei
ASST 240: Chinese Cinema
MW 3:00-5:00
ECTR 118/MYBK 316

Nunan, R.
PHIL 180: Philosophy & Film
MW 3:00-5:15
Room TBA
Parisi, D
COMM 383.003: Media Criticism
TR 1:40-2:55
MYBK 110
&
COMM 383.004: Media Criticism
TR 12:15-1:30
ECTR 110


Maymester 2010
Staff
ARTS 335: ST: Stop Motion Animation
***   
Time TBA    
Room TBA
Cossa, F
ARTH 340: Recent European Cinema                 

MTWTF 8:30-12:00
Simons Center 309
Carmichael
CLAS 270: The Romans in Cinema
MTWTF 8:30-12:00
Room: TBA
Siegler, E
RELS 280: Religion and Film
MTWTF 1:00-4:30
ECTR 219

May Evening 2010
Gomer, R
LTRS 270: Soviet Cinema: Thaw and Stagnation
MW 5:30-8:30
Room: TBA

Nunan, R
WGST 300: Queer Looks: Homosexuality in Cinema***
TR 5:30-8:30
Room TBA

*
cross-listed as THTR 350: Introduction to Film Studies (Parry, E)
** counts for either ITAL 270 or ITAL 370
*** counts as a Special Topics for Cluster 3



9/29/09




The Student Film Club meets tomorrow (Wednesday, September 30), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This semester's film series, films adapted from great literay works, continues tomorrow with Being There (dir. Hal Ashby, 1979). Based on the novel by Jerzy Kosinsky (who adapted the screenplay). Stars Shirley MacLaine and the great Peter Sellars, in one of his final performances, as the Chance the gardener. Chance (by chance) becomes Chauncey Gardender and, unbeknownst to him since he has the mind of 3 year-old, a rather important fellow caught up in a whirwind of politics and mass media. A wonderful satire of news media culture that is, even after 30 years, relevant today. Join us 7:00.

9/29/09




Film tonight (Tuesday, September 29) on the 103 green! Outdoor screening at Eye Level Art, 103 Spring St.
Eye Level Art is hosting another screening tonight. This time is is La Vie en Rose (dir. Olivia Dahan, 2007), which is the extraordinary tale of Edith Piaf who is perhaps rance's best known, and most beloved, singers of all time. Stars Marion Cotillard, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Piaf. It's shaping up to be a gorgeous evening, weather wise, so garb your picnic chairs, snacks, and your closest friends for an evening of flickers underneath the stars. The doors will open at 7:30 and the film will begin as soon as it's dark. $5 at the door.

9/23/09



The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, September 23), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This semester's film series, films adapted from great literay works, continues with Carol Reed's adaptation of the Graham Greene story The Third Man (1949). The film stars Orson Welles, who without doubt had a firm hand in its direction, as the mysterious Harry Lime. Graham Greene himself wrote the screenplay. Considered one of the great films noir of all time, The Third Man won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (black & white), and Grand Prize went to Carol Reed at the Cannes Film Festival. Join us at 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

9/14/09



The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, September 16), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight's film, part of the great films based on great literary works series, is Robert Altman's Short Cuts (1993). Based on a collection of short stories by Raymond Carver, the film depicts life in Los Angeles by following the intertwining and criss-crossing lives of multiple characters. A fantastic ensemble cast includes Jack Lemmon, Tom Waits, Lily Tomlin, Robert Downey Jr., Julianne Moore, Andie MacDowell, and the late great Chris Penn. Join us tonight at 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

9/14/09



Charleston filmmakers: step up and face the National Film Challenge!
Spiral Arm Productions is organizing a meet and greet event at the Terrace Hippodrome, Monday, September 21 at 7:15pm. Join other local filmmakers--amateur and professional--for an opportunity to put together a fiction film to submit to the National Film Challege. The challenge is to make a film in just 48 hours. The more teams who submit a film, the greater our chances of bringing the 48-Hour Film Fest to Charleston. For more information about Sprial Arm Productions, visit their website here.

9/08/09



The Student Film Club meets Wednesday, September 9, at 7:00pm in the Communications Museum screening room
This semester, the Student Film Club will host a film series devoted to literary adaptations--great films based on great literary works. Wednesday's screening is Elia Kazan's adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Starring Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski and Vivian Leigh (who won the Oscar for Best Actress) as the sad, sultry Blanche DeBois. One of the greatest of literary adaptations. Join us in the screening room of the Communications Museum, 58 George St.

9/02/09



The Student Film Club meets tonight (Wednesday, September 2), at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This semester, the Student Film Club will host a film series devoted to literary adaptations--great films based on great books. Tonight we kick of with what we admit is better known as a film than as a book: Martin Scorsese's Academy Award winning adaptation the book by Jake LaMotaa, Raging Bull (1980). If you're interested in learning about the events and activities the Student Film Club has planned for this year, join us at 7:00 in ECTR 118. The Student Film Club Presidemt, Taylor Townes, will have all the information.

9/01/09  




Film tonight (Tuesday, September 1) at 8:00pm on the 103 green! Outdoor screening at Eye Level Art, 103 Spring St.
Sorry for the short notice--I only now got the details. Tonight's film is the much-heralded animated feature film, The Triplets of Bellville (2003). A delightful, and delightfully odd, tale of an obsessed cyclist who is kidnapped during the Tour de France. His grandmother comes to the rescue with the help of her beloved dog Bruno and an aging singing trio--The Triplets of Bellville. This wordless, hand-animated film was nominated in 2004 for an Academy Award for Best Animated feature and Best Original Song ("Belleville Rendez-Vous"). Tickets are limited, and they are $5.00. The film begins at 8:00pm. Check back here for future Eye Level Art events. You can also check out Eye Level Art's web site here.

8/25/09



The 2009 French Film Festival begins this Thursday, August 27, in Sottile Theatre
The Department of French, Francophone, and Italian Studies is hosting its annual French Film Festival, August 27-30 at Sottile Theatre. The festival kicks off with an opening reception, Thursday August 27 at 6:00pm in the Sottile Theatre Mezzanine. Be sure to check out the festival blog here for more information about films and times.

6/27/09




Film Matters journal launches call for submissions from undergraduate film scholars
Film Matters, a new magazine published by Intellect, seeks papers written by undergraduate film scholars for its inaugural issue. This call is open to any undergraduate student, currently enrolled at an institution of higher learning worldwide and working towards a bachelor's degree in any field. Any original piece of written scholarship, involving film criticism, history, or theory will be considered for publication. Click here for more information. If you're a film minor or a student who has written an essay for a film class here at the College and you would like to see it published, let me know and I can help you revise and submit the essay. The deadline is September 1, 2009.

6/11/09



The Avery Research Center presents the Black Music Film Festival, Saturday, June 20th
The festival showcases a few of South Carolina's extraordinary musical artists. Featuring Josh White, Dizzy Gillespie, James Jamerson, Peg Leg Bates, the Jenkins Orphange Band and more. Films will be screened all day long, from 12:30 pm to 8:00 pm, in McKinley Washington Auditorium. Movie snacks provided. Admission is free. For details, click here.

5/07/09



Congrtulations, graduating Film Studies minors!
There are about 16 of you in all--by far the largest number of graduating seniors in the Film Studies program's history. In your honor, I'd like to hold a modest reception tomorrow (Friday, May 8) from 2:30 to 4:00 in 72 George St., rooms 300 & 301. Refreshments will be provided, so do drop by--even if you plan to graduate in December. Congrats, everybody!

4/23/09


College of Charleston students and aspiring young directors, Jesse Berger & Nate Mallard, are featured in Post & Courier story
Charleston's own Post & Courier has a piece on the 56-minute documentary, S.O.B. and the Legend of Alan Schafer, co-directed by Jesse Berger and Nate Mallard. You can view it here, or download a printer-friendly PDF here. Congratulations, Jesse and Nate!

4/22/09



The Charleston International Film Festival begins this Thursday, April 23.
The Charleston International Film Festival, which runs April 23-26, will be held at the Terrace Theatre on James Island (1956D Maybank Highway). You can read all about the films and events here. See you there!

4/22/09



The Student Film Club's final meeting this semester is tonight, Wednesday, April 22, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
The final screening for this semester's series, devoted to movies about movies, is For Your Consideration (2006), directed by Christopher Guest and featuring the dazzling improvisitory talents of Harry Shearer, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, and others. It's a funny look at acting and the hopelessness of hoping for, well, recognition. Join us, one last time, at 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

4/14/09



The Student Film Club meets again Wednesday, April 15, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This week's screening will be The Player, directed by Robert Altman (1992). This is Altman's very dark, very cynical comedy (based on the novel by Michael Tolkin, who also adapted the screenplay) about an ambitious Hollywood executive (played by Tim Robbins) who becomes convinced that a vindictive screenwriter is terrorizing him. Chock full of in-jokes, cameos, and references to other films, this film is the ultimate movie about the movies. It's good, nasty fun. Join us at 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

4/10/09





CofC students, Jesse Berger & Nate Mallard, premiere their documentary at the Charleston International Film Festival, April 25.
The Charleston International Film Festival, which begins April 23, is featuring a documentary made by Jesse Berger and Nate Mallard, both College of Charleston students. S.O.B. and the Legend of Alan Schafer will premiere Saturday, April 25th at the Terrace Theater 12:30pm Tickets are $9. S.O.B. is a look at the bizarre roadside attraction South of the Border and the controversial man who created it. Beyond building a $50 million enterprise, Alan Schafer was a heavy player in politics. He supposedly moved a highway, skirmished with the KKK, and went to prison for voting fraud. Jesse Berger is Film Studies minor and was the top-prize winner at the 4th Annual Student Film Festival. His short film, The City Green, has been uploaded to the College of Charleston's iTunesU site. You may also view the films that won 2nd and 3rd prize--just click here. For more information about the Film Festival click here.

4/09/09 The Center for the Documentary presents the Alex Sanders Student Documentary Awards 2009.
Named in honor of noted educator and South Carolina statesman, Alex Sanders, in recognition of his service to the College of Charleston and South Carolina, this award will be made to first time documentary makers. The Center for the Documentary (CD) will make these awards to College of Charleston undergraduates and new alumni (May 2009) planning on attending graduate school for film, media or documentary studies. These awards are intended to help them conduct summer-long documentary fieldwork projects. CD sets no restrictions on the subject of the project, but does want to see work that explores the question: "How do we come to know others and the worlds they inhabit?" To be eligible, student applicants should demonstrate an interest in documentary studies and possess the talent and skills necessary to conduct an intensive documentary project. Applicants should write a proposal describing the focus of their video documentary project.  We invite both individual and collaborative proposals. Students who wish to work collaboratively on a project should submit a single proposal (letter, budget, SASE, work sample) with appropriate supporting materials for each student.  Applicants must submit the following:

Two-to-three-page treatment describing the project and including a statement about the importance of the project to the student, the styleu sed, and project goals for the summer. One-page autobiography and resume including name, university, year, and email address, phone number, mailing address. Sample of work (a trailer or work in progress, writing sample, five-minutes of interviews). Two letters of recommendation, one from two professors mailed to CD or delivered. Short budget outline detailing projected costs for supplies, travel, accommodations, and other expenses related to fieldwork. Self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with adequate postage for the return of all samples and supporting materials. Awards may be used for travel, supplies, and rentals. Incomplete submissions may be ineligible for consideration

A
wards of up to $600-1000 will be made by June 30, 2009. Past winners include Film Studies minors Jesse Berger and Mary Catherine Kennedy.



4/06/09






The Student Film Club meets again Wednesday, April 8, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This week's screening, which is part of the Films about Films/Filmmaking series, is Richard Rush's 1980 film The Stunt Man (1980). This film received many rave reviews and several nominations when it was released (including five Golden Globe nominations as well as Academy Award nominations for best screenplay, best director, and best actor), but it then quickly (and mysteriously) fell into obscurity. It is now considered something of a masterpiece. The story is of an escaped convict--a Vietnam veteran by the name of Cameron (played by Steve Railsback)--who stumbles upon the set of an epic WWI film, directed by the monomaniacal Eli Cross (brilliantly played by Peter O'Toole). Cameron is given a job as stunt man and quickly experiences the insanity that produces (and is produced by) moviemaking. What is reality? What is illusion? In Hollywood, there is no way of knowing. Tonight's film will be preceded by a short animated feature: the legendary Warner Brothers cartoon "Duck Amuck" (1953), directed by the great Chuck Jones. Daffy Duck is more than ready to get to work on his next cartoon, but the animator in charge is determined to sabotage the whole thing. I'll be giving a brief introduction to The Stunt Man. So join us at 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

3/30/09
Registration is underway. Do you know what Maymester film courses are being offered?
Many of you are getting ready to register for Fall 2009, so I have compiled a list of film courses being offered (see 3/20/09). But there are also a number of film courses being offered in Maymester. Check the list below. For more information, contact me (the Film Studies minor advisor).

ARTS 335.003: ST: Stop-Motion Animation
MTWRF 8:30-12:00 (TBA)
ARTH 340.001: ST: Independent Film*
MTWRF 8:30-12:00 (Dr. Cossa)
CLAS 270.001: The Romans in Cinema*
MTWRF 8:30-12:00 (Dr. Carmichael)
HIST 261.001: ST: African History and Film                      
MTWRF 8:30-12:00 (Dr. Carmichael)
POLS 331.001: Politics of Film and Reality in Latin America*
MTWRF 8:30-12:00 (Dr. Friedman)


* satisfies the Cluster 2 requirement for Film Studies minors
**satisfies the Cluster 3 requirement for Film Studies minors



3/30/09




The Student Film Club meets again Wednesday, April 1, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This week's screening will be Lost in La Mancha (dir. Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe, 2002). This is an arresting, often funny documentary about the nightmares of filmmaking. What happens when creative vision is stymied by weather conditions, noise, ailing actors and uncooperative crew? You get an aborted film. Terry Gilliam is no stranger to this sort of catastrophe, but that doesn't make him any more amenable to it. Watch as the Quixotic Gilliam tilts at his personal windmills. Join us at 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

3/30/09





Special photography event at the American Theatre at 6:00pm on Thursday, April 2.
Photographer Tom Butler will present a narrated slideshow entitled "Wildlands Philanthropy: the Great American Tradition."
A long-time conservation activist, Butler will take us on a visually stunning trip around the world through the technology of digital images and share the fascinating stories behind the great saved places. Norm Brunswig, Executive Director of Audubon South Carolina joins us along with Dana Beach, Executive Director of the Coastal Conservation League, to celebrate the individuals and organizations that participate in the great American tradition of individual action to save the beautiful places we all treasure. $25 per person; $15 for students. Price includes opening reception--beer, wine and appetizers from FISH restaurant. For more information, click here.

3/23/09





The Student Film Club meets again Wednesday, March 25, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This week's screening, which is part of the Films about Films/Filmmaking series, is Jean-Luc Godard's 1963 film Le Mepris (Contempt). Starring Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, and Fritz Lang. Palance plays a Hollywood producer backing a film adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, which is directed by Fritz Lang (playing himself). A writer (Piccoli) is hired to rework the script. As he struggles against the commerical demands of the movie industry, the writer finds himself becoming estranged from his wife (Bardot). The film opens with this quotation, which Godard wrongly attributes to André Bazin (it comes from Michel Mourlet): "The cinema substitutes for our gaze a world that correpsonds more closely to our desires." I doubt Bazin would have disagreed. Join us at 7:00pm.

3/20/09















Registration is underway. Do you know what film courses are being offered?
Many of you are getting ready to register for Fall 2009, so I have compiled a list of film courses being offered. Be sure to check back frequently, as information may change and more courses may be added. For more information, contact me (the Film Studies minor advisor).

ARTS 335.090 ST: Video Art Production
R 6:00-9:45p (TBA)
COMM 383.091 Media Criticism**
R 4:00-6:45p
(Dr. Lacroix)
ARTH 392.090 The Camera and Visual Perception
MW 4:00-5:15p (Dr. Cossa)
GRMN 472.001 Classics of German Cinema**
R 3:00-6:00p (Dr. Nenno)
ENGL 212.001 Cinema: History and Criticism*
TR 12:15-1:30
p (Dr. Bruns)
LTGR 270.001 Contemporary German Cinema**
M 3:00-6:00p (Dr. Nenno)
ENGL 212.002 Cinema: History and Criticism*
TR 1:40-2:55p
(Dr. Bruns)
LTIT 270.001: Intro to Italian Cinema**         
W 3:00-5:45p (Dr. DeLuca)
COMM 383.090 Media Criticism**
W 4:00-6:45p
(Dr. Lacroix)
LTPO 270: Studies in Brazilian Film**
TR 12:15-1:30p (Dr. Moreira)

*
required for Film Studies minors
** satisfies the Cluster 2 requirement for Film Studies minors
† satisfies the Cluster 3 requirement for Film Studies minors


3/19/09




The Italian program presents a special screening of Gomorra (dir. Matteo Garrone, 2008).
"Mafia in the movies week" continues here at the College of Charleston. Last night we had a terrific presentation, "Cosa Loro: Postwar Italian Crime Films and the Mafia" by Peter Bondanella, Professor Emeritus of Italian, Film, and Comparative Literature at Indiana University. Tomorrow (Friday, March 20), there will be a screening of Garrone's 2008 film, Gomorra. The film won the Gran Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival. It is a remarkable adaptation of the controversial best seller by Roberto Saviano, which deals with organized crime in Naples. Be sure to join us in ECTR 118 at 5:00pm.

3/19/09





Congratulations to Jesse Berger, winner of top prize at the 4th Annual College of Charleston Student Film Festival!
Thanks to everyone who turned out last night to attend the 4th Annual Student Film Festival. Without a doubt, this was out best year yet. We had a huge audience and an excellent program of student films. All the filmmakers deserve honorable mention. This wasn't an easy decision, but the panel picked the following winners: third place went to Kyle Hilliard for his animated short called Andre the Miniature; second place went to Stephen Kahn for Going Away to War; and first place went to Jesse Berger for The City Green. You can view the winning film here. If you have a film in the works, don't stop filming now. We may plan a Student Film Night sometime later in the semester. Check back here for updates.

3/11/09


The 4th Annual College of Charleston Student Film Festival webpage is up!
If you want to see details about next week's Student Film Festival, click here! More information will be added on a daily basis. Don't forget: the program begins at 7:00pm in Physicians Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, March 18.

3/11/09




Distinguished Film Scholar Peter Bondanella to speak at the College of Charleston, Wednesday, March 18.
The Italian Program and the Film Studies Program are proud to bring Dr. Bondanella, Professor Emeritus at Indiana University, to present a talk on Italian mafia films. The title of the talk is
"Cosa Loro: Postwar Italian Crime Films and the Mafia." The talk will be held in Physicians Auditorium at 4:30pm. Peter Bondanella is the author of several books on cinema, literature, and culture, including Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present and Umberto Eco and the open Text: Semiotics, Fiction, and Popular Culture. His most recent book is Hollywood Italians: Dagos, Palookas, Romeos, Wise Guys, and Sopranos. Download a flier here for more information.

3/10/09




The Student Film Club meets tonight, Wednesday, March 11, at 7:00pm in the John Rivers Communications Museum
For this week's screening, we'll show Living in Oblivion (1995), directed by Tom Dicillo, as part of our Films about Filmmaking series. It's an independent comedy starring Steve Buscemi and Catherine Keener. We will be in the John Rivers Communications Museum this week. NOT in ECTR 118. The Museum is the building on the corner of St. Philip St. and George St., across from CVS. We'll be on the second floor at the usual time, 7 pm. Come early if you can and check out some of the cool stuff in the Museum and chat with the all-knowing curator, Rick Zender.

2/22/09



Reminder: the deadline for submissions to the 4th Annual College of Charleston Student Film Festival is March 9.
If you haven't started filming now, it's not too late. START FILMING NOW! Because the deadline for submissions is rapidly approaching. Got a film? Then grab a submission form here and return it, along with your film (on VHS or DVD format), to the Film Club mailbox, Stern Center mail room (4th floor). Know someone who has a film? Then tell him/her to submit it now. The festival is scheduled for March 18 at 7:00pm in Physicians Auditorium.

2/22/09



The Student Film Club meets Wednesday, February 25, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Wednesday
's film is Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997). Featuring a terrific ensemble of actors and actresses (Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, Mark Wahlberg), this film is really Anderson's love letter to the 1970s porn industry. With interweaving stories and roving, hovering camerawork, Anderson gives a glimpse of the ins and outs of a unique kind of moviemaking. Join us at 7:00pm in ECTR 118.

2/16/09



Join us for a pre-Oscar screening at the American Theater this Tuesday, February 17!
On Tuesday, February 17, the College of Charleston's Center for the Documentary will screen two Academy Award-nominated documentaries. The first film, to be screened at 6:00pm, is Man on Wire (dir. James Marsh, 2008). The second, to be screened at 8:00pm, is Encounters at the End of the World (dir. Werner Herzog, 2008). Screenings are free and will be held at the American Theater, 446 King Street. For more information, click here.

2/12/09


Newly updated links!
Visit this site's links page for the resources on and about film.

2/11/09





The Student Film Club meets tonight, Wednesday, February 11, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight's film is Woody Allen's dark, satirical take on fame and filmmaking, Stardust Memories (1980). Thought to be a mean-spirited attack on his critics and fans, Allen's film concerns Sandy Bates, a successful Hollywood director whose films--"especially the early funny ones"--are beloved by his fans. But when Sandy decides he wants to make "serious" films, the world seems to collapse around him. Though not unfunny, the film was a continuation of a turn away from wackier comedies like Bananas, Sleeper, and Love and Death that already began with Annie Hall and Manhattan. Allen's tribute to Ingmar bergman, the 1978 film Interiors, was largely panned by critics as indulgent and pretentious. Tonight's film is in many ways Allen's tribute to Fellini (especially the film we watched last week, 8 1/2). Join us at 7:00pm.

2/05/09





Independent filmmaker Stewart Wade to present his latest film Tru Loved on Friday, February 6.
The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and the Center for the Documentary will present a special screening of Tru Loved on Friday, February 6 at 8:00pm in the Simons Center for the Arts, room 309. The film is written and directed by Stewart Wade, who will present the film himself. Tru Loved tells the story of Tru, the teenage daughter of lesbian mothers, who finds herself as an outsider at her new high school in a small, conservative Southern California town. For more information about Stewart Wade and his newest film, click here. Admission is free! Join us for the screening, then stick around to meet the director himself for a very special Q&A session. Sponsored by the
Southern Arts Federation's Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers.

2/04/09



The deadline for submissions to the 4th Annual College of Charleston Student Film Festival is March 9.
If you haven't started filming now, then START FILMING NOW! because the deadline for submissions is rapidly approaching. Got a film? Know someone who's got a film? Then get it to us. Submissions can be dropped off on the 2nd floor of the Stern Center, in the Copy/Mail Center. Look for the "Student Fiim Club" mailbox. Submissions can also be brought to any Wednesday Film Club meeting, 7:00pm in ECTR 118. The Festival is scheduled for March 18 in Physicians Auditorium at 7:00pm.

2/04/09




The Student Film Club meets tonight, Wednesday, February 4, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight's film is Federico Fellini's masterpiece 8 1/2 (1963). Follow Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroiani) though sound stages and dream-scapes as he tries to complete his biggest motion picture yet. Hounded by his producer, the women in his life, and his own past, Guido is at turns tired and inspired. Often noted for its autobiographical elements, 8 1/2 is perhaps Fellini's most personal work. It's also a delightful look into the pains and joys of filmmaking. The last 10 minutes of this film is cinema at its best. So don't miss out!

2/03/09




The Charleston Post & Courier announces the 28 Day Film Contest!
The Post & Courier is inviting all Charleston hipsters, auteurs, beatniks, geeks, freaks, and (do we have any of these???)...well, anyway they're inviting all to submit a short film by 5:00pm on February 27. The film must be under 7 minutes (including credits) and must be playable in DVD format. Only one catch: the film must feature (ever so prominently) an edition of the Post & Courier somewhere in the film. The edition must be between the dates of January 30 and February 27. Top prize is 500 (what is the accepted vulgarism for a dollar?) smackeroos. For more info, visit here.

1/28/09




The Student Film Club meets tonight, Wednesday, January 28, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
Tonight the Student Film Club will be screening David Lynch's Mullholland Drive (2001). Naomi Watts stars in this unusual tale (what do you expect, it's David Lynch) about a woman...well, let me just quote the tagline: "A woman in search of stardom. A woman in search of herself--in the city of dreams. A key to a mystery, lies somehwere in Mullholland Drive." For those of you unfamiliar with Los Angeles, Mullholland Dr. is a long road that winds through the hills just above Hollywood. Take a trip here.

1/21/09




The Student Film Club meets tonight, Wednesday, January 21, at 7:00pm in Septima Clark Auditorium (ECTR 118)
This semester's film series is devoted to films about filmmaking. Tonight's film is the classic Sunset Boulevard (1950), writer/director Billy Wilder's satire of about Norma Desmbond, a relic of old Hollywood, who creeps out obscurity in search of a comeback. Starring William Holden. As with many of our film this semester, Wilder's is outrrageously self-reflexive. Norma Desmond is played by the (once great) Gloria Swanson and her butler, Max von Mayerling, is played by the (once great) director Eric von Stroheim. The two essentially play themselves--and magnificently so. Dark stuff. Don't miss it.

1/20/09













Welcome! It's a new year and a new semester, and here's what to look forward to in the coming weeks:

The Student Film Club
has begun its latest semester-long film series. This semester's theme is "Films about filmmaking." All semester long the Film Club will screen films that celebrate Hollywood and trash Hollywood, films about the joys of filmmaking and the pains of filmmaking. Films will be screened in ECTR 118 at 7:00pm every Wednesday night. Check back here for weekly updates.

The Film Studies Program Distinguished Speaker Series
will co-sponsor a talk by Peter Bondanella, Professor Emeritus at Indiana University. Dr. Bondanella is the author of Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present, arguably the finest study of Italian cinema to date. He will be speaking on the subject of the Italian gangster on film the afternoon of March 18. And following Dr. Bondanella's talk will be...

The College of Charleston Student Film Festival
. Yes, March 18 will be a big day, cinematically speaking. At 7:00pm in Physicians Auditorium, we will screen a whole program's worth of the finest student films made in the last year. The deadline for submitting films will be sometime right before Spring break so if you haven't already, START FILMING NOW!!!

The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival runs April 2-5 this year, in Raleigh/Durham, NC. The Student Film Club has organized a field trip, so contact us if you're interested in tagging along. Tickets have already been purchased, but that shouldn't stop you from joining us. For more info, click here.

The Film Studies Program is the largest it's ever been. Almost 40 students have declared a Film Studies minor. Why haven't you?

To view updates from 2008, click here

To view updates from 2007, click here

To view updates from 2006, click here

To view updates from 2005, click here