Center presents film series on justice, religion and peace
A Palestinian father’s moving gesture of peace, an intimate story of the 2002 Gujarat riots in India, an account of the election of a military dictator in Chile and a look at the Egyptian revolution through the eyes of six protesters.
These are the stories that will be presented in the peace studies film series hosted by the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict this September.
The films highlight issues of justice, people’s struggle, religion and peace, and each screening of these four acclaimed films will be followed by a discussion led by a distinguished faculty member with expertise in the subject matter of the film.
The series was developed by Yasmin Saikia, the Hardt-Nickachos Chair in Peace Studies at the center, and professor of history in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies.
“I want my students to understand peace as more than just an ideal,” says Saikia. “I believe that these films and discussions with faculty can be an interesting way to get people talking and thinking about the complexities of peacemaking.”
All four screenings will be shown in West Hall, room 135, from noon to 2:30 p.m. The films and faculty experts include:
"Heart of Jenin" - Wednesday, Sept. 3
- This documentary is the story of a Palestinian boy shot by Israeli soldiers. His father donates his son's organs to Israeli children as a gesture of peace, and then later travels through Israel to meet the children he has helped and their families.
- Faculty expert: Amit Ron, associate professor of political science, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
"Parzania" – Thursday, Sept. 4
- "Parzania" is based on the true story of a 10-year-old boy who disappeared during the 2002 Gujarat riots in India. The film tells the story of the riots, and traces the journey of a family trying to locate their missing son.
- Faculty expert: Yasmin Saikia, Hardt-Nickachos Chair in Peace Studies at the center, and professor of history in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies
- In 1988, Chile voted on military dictator Augusto Pinochet extending his rule for another eight years. This Oscar-nominated film, starring Gael García Bernal, details how opposition leaders devised an audacious plan to win the election.
- Faculty expert: Daniel Rothenberg, Professor of Practice, School of Politics and Global Studies
"The Square" – Thursday, Sept. 11
- "The Square" is a documentary that tells the story of the ongoing struggle of the Egyptian Revolution through the eyes of six very different protesters. It follows a life-changing journey through the euphoria of victory into the uncertainties and dangers of the current period.
- Faculty expert: Chad Haines, assistant professor, School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies
These events are supported by the Hardt-Nickachos Peace Studies Endowment within the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict. The goal of the Hardt-Nickachos Peace Studies Endowment is to heighten faculty and student awareness of peace studies as an academic field of inquiry, and its significance and relevance as an approach to engaging the most challenging problems of our age.
The film series is open to the public. To learn more or to reserve a seat, please visit the center’s website.