HIGH POINT, N.C., Oct. 24, 2011 – For the second semester in a row, High Point University is offering students the chance to expand their movie repertoire with the Faculty Film Series, which features 20 faculty-selected films to be shown on campus in the Extraordinaire Cinema and Qubein Screening Room. Films included in the series connect with specific courses being taught on campus during the fall semester.
The film series is designed to improve critical thinking and interdisciplinary connections. Dr. Jim Casey, assistant professor of English, created the series after showing “Inception” in the fall of 2010. Casey invited Dr. Mark Toole, assistant professor of Religion and Philosophy, to join a discussion with students following the film and was so pleased with the result that he encouraged other professors in the English Department to participate in the film series in the spring of 2011. This semester, Casey expanded the series to 20 films and included faculty members from the departments of English, Sociology, Theatre, Communication, Religion and Philosophy, Political Science, Anthropology, Exercise Science, and History, as well as librarians from HPU’s Smith and University Center Libraries.
At each showing, the featured film is introduced and screened. Following the film, attendees are invited to join in a short discussion with the film hosts and panel members from the university community and beyond. For the recent showing of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” for example, Pedro Silva, Artistic Director of the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, joined the panel discussion.
The Faculty Film Series includes the following upcoming films:
Oct. 25 – “Seven Samurai,” hosted by Dr. Joshua Fisher, Extraordinaire Cinema
Oct. 27 – “The Magnificent Seven,” hosted by Dr. Katherine Fowkes, Qubein Screening Room
Nov. 1 – “King Lear,” hosted by Dr, Alixandra Yanus, Qubein Screening Room
Nov. 3 – “Ran,” hosted by Dr. Donna Scheidt, Qubein Screening Room
Nov. 8 – “Twilight,” hosted by Dr. Cara Kozma, Extraordinaire Cinema
Nov. 10 – “The Grapes of Wrath,” hosted by Dr. Karen Summers, Qubein Screening Room
Nov. 15 – “Jane Eyre,” hosted by librarian Amy Chadwell, Extraordinaire Cinema
Nov. 17 – “Liberty Heights,” hosted by Gail Clements, Qubein Screening Room
Nov. 28 – “Richard III,” hosted by librarian Kathy Shields, Qubein Screening Room
Nov. 29 – “Macbeth,” hosted by Dr. Pamela Hedrick, Qubein Screening Room
“The discussions after each film show students that the critical reading and thinking skills they learn in class can be applied to anything, even the films they watch,” says Casey. “This semester, we are stressing the interconnectedness of the liberal arts by emphasizing many different disciplinary approaches to these films: the English student benefits from the questions a philosophy student might ask; the sociology student gains a better understanding of the issues after discussing related historical events; and the political science student gains insight from an anthropological comparison. Just as importantly, the students see that this kind of everyday critical thought is fun and rewarding.”
Although each film is connected to specific courses, Casey says that any student is welcome to attend both the films and the discussions, and he encourages those who are interested to come and check out the series.
At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.℠ HPU, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a liberal arts institution with over 4,200 undergraduate and graduate students from 51 countries and 46 states at campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem. It is ranked by US News and World Report at No. 3 among Regional Colleges in the South. Forbes.com ranks HPU in the top 7 percent among “America’s Best Colleges.” Parade Magazine lists HPU in the top 25 private schools in the nation. HPU was selected in the 2010-2011 list of “Colleges of Distinction,” as well as one of the top green schools in the country by the Sierra Club. The university offers 50 undergraduate majors, 43 undergraduate minors and 10 graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the NCAA, Division I and the Big South Conference. Visit High Point University on the Web at highpoint.edu.
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Pam Haynes
Communicaton Specialist
336-841-9055
[email protected]