Building Bridges Through the Big Screen

Wittenberg will host its second annual International Film Series starting today, April 15, through April 18, 2024. Sponsored by the Department of World Languages & Cultures and the Language Learning Center at Wittenberg University, as well as The State Theater of Springfield, the series is embracing a theme of 'Relationships and Connections' as it features films aimed at highlighting Mandarin Chinese, German/Turkish, and Spanish languages (with English subtitles) so that viewers are immersed in the languages and cultures of Asia, Europe, and Latin America. All films are free and open to the public.

"These films build bridges between the past and present across generations and offer a glimpse into multiple times, spaces, and cultures," said Vanessa Plumly, assistant professor of languages at Wittenberg. "Storytelling through film builds empathy and allows us to connect through and across different identities. Within the Department of World Languages and Cultures, we communicate and celebrate beyond constructed borders and, in doing so, create and promote a multilingual and multicultural community. Each of these films represents the human desire for a place in our ever-changing world. We hope that this event, like the theme of the film series itself, will build relationships and connections between Wittenberg University and the greater Springfield community."

The week-long event will kick-off with the screening of three early 20th-century films tonight at the State Theater in Springfield from 6 to 10 p.m. After each film, participants can ask questions and be entered into a raffle for an international swag bag. A cash bar will be available along with food purchase options at Co-Hatch next door.

All films from Tuesday, April 16-18, will be shown at 6 p.m. in Koch Hall's auditorium at Wittenberg. Light snacks and drinks will be served. Post-film discussions will be hosted by professors of each of the languages represented including German, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese.

"These films explore the details of human intimacy and connection through the lens of each cultural context," said Jocelyn Hardman, assistant professor of languages and director of the Language Learning Center. "For example, how is the loss of an intimate partner interwoven with a trans woman's tapestry of experience within Chile's socio-cultural norms? And to what extent does grieving transcend individual cultures?"

Film Screening Times and Dates:

• Monday, April 15, 6, 7, & 8:30 p.m. at the State Theater Springfield:
  láogōng zhī àiqíng/Laborer's Love (Dir. Shichuan Zhang, 1922), 30 minutes.
  El Golfo/The Tramp (Dir. José de Togores, 1917), 1 hour and 21 minutes.
  Berlin: Sinfonie einer Großstadt/Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (Dir. Walter Ruttman 1927), one hour and 12 minutes.
• Tuesday, April 16, 6 p.m., Koch Hall Auditorium:
  Auf der anderen Seite/The Edge of Heaven (Dir. Fatih Akin, 2007), two hours.
• Wednesday, April 17, 6 p.m., Koch Hall Auditorium:
  Una mujer fantástica/A Fantastic Woman (Dir. Sebastián Lelio, 2017), one hour and 44 minutes.
• Thursday, April 18, 6 p.m., Koch Hall Auditorium:
  Yǐn rù chényān/Return to Dust (Dir. Li Ruijun, 2022) two hours and 11 minutes.

For questions about building accessibility, please contact Michelle Kempf at 937-327-6350 or at [email protected]. Contributions are welcome to help sustain this event as an annual series.