CIPA hosts International Film Festival at Shawnee State University

Jan. 18, 2012

Six films are scheduled for showing during the Center for International Programs and Activities International Film Festival this year from Monday, Jan. 23 through Saturday, Jan. 28 at Clark Memorial Library's Flohr Lecture Hall.

The films shown Monday through Friday will be at 7 p.m. and Saturday Matinee will be at 2 p.m. All the movies are free and open to the public.

The first film on Monday, Jan. 23, "In the Name of God" will be hosted by Maria Najam, an international student from Pakistan. The movie revolves around a Pakistani young man (Shaan) who goes to the United States for higher education and the tragic event of 9/11 takes place at the World Trade Center. In a long array of investigations and arrests, the young man gets arrested by the American authorities.

Tuesday, Jan. 24, "The Wave," a thriller hosted by Dr. Thomas Piontek, assistant professor in English and Humanities at SSU, shows a high school teacher's unusual experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship. The experiment spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.

Wednesday, Jan. 25, "Woman on Top," a romantic comedy hosted by Dr. Julia Coll, stars Penelope Cruz as a Brazilian chef who moves to San Francisco after her husband cheats on her to live with her childhood friend, a cross dresser. The fun begins when her husband tries to pursue her.

Thursday, Jan. 26, "To Live," hosted by Yao "Jacky" Fu, an international student from China, is an epic war drama beginning in the 1940s in China. The main characters, Fugui and Jiazhen, endure tumultuous events in China as they lose their personal fortunes because of Fugui's gambling addiction, and move from wealthy land ownership to peasantry. In the years that follow he is pressed into both the nationalist and communist armies, while Jiazhen is forced into menial work.

Friday, Jan. 27, "Russian Animation," hosted by Alina Dashkevich and Anna Shchetinina, international students from Russia, has eight short animated films. Several have won numerous awards at international film festivals around the world.

Saturday, Jan. 28 matinee, "Big Story in a Small City," hosted by Lusine Tovmasyan, an international student from Armenia, is based on true events that changed two families forever. The story, both comical, satirical and a tragedy, begins in the city of Yerevan, Armenia. Grigor Janoyan, a professor of agriculture at the University of Yerevan, dies from a freak accident and in accordance with Armenian tradition, relatives bring the deceased into their home for the "viewing" before the burial.

The family, consumed with grief, fails to realize that the body on the dining room table is not Grigor but Ruben Pashayan, the head of Armenia's organized crime families. A friend of the family discovers the mix up and trouble is inevitable.

Free refreshments from around the world will be available at each movie. For more information, call CIPA at (740) 351-3127.