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Dominican University Presents International Film Festival

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August 12, 2009 - 11:58 PDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY

RIVER FOREST, Il (August 12, 2009) - Dominican University's Siena Center, in conjunction with Dominican's Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literature, will host a four-night international film festival exploring the theme of "sacramental imagination" from Monday, September 14 through Thursday, September 17.

On Monday, September 14, the festival will begin with Babettes gaestebud (Babette's Feast), a Danish film first released in 1987. This Oscar-winning film directed by Gabriel Axel tells the story of Babette, a French refugee who is taken in by two Protestant sisters living in a pious town on the coast of Denmark. When the sisters wish to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of their father with a large feast, Babette begs the sisters for an opportunity to prepare a gourmet French meal. Despite their concerns about giving a Catholic and a foreigner in charge of the dinner, the sisters allow Babette to introduce them to the earthly, sensual pleasures of food, a decision that scandalizes the local elders. Sr. Kate Dooley, O.P., adjunct professor of theology, will lead a discussion following the film.

On Tuesday, September 15, the festival will continue with a showing of Ponette (Ponette), a French film from 1996. Four-year-old Victoire Thivisol, winner of the Best Actress Award at the Venice Film Festival, plays Ponette, a young girl sent to live with her relatives following her mother's death. Ultimately, it is her faith, love and strength of character that enables Ponette to overcome her tragedy. Dr. Laura Burch, assistant professor of French, and Dr. Elizabeth Jeep, associate director of the Siena Center, will lead the discussion following the film.

On Wednesday, September 16, the festival will feature El laberinto del fauno (Pan's Labyrinth), a Spanish film released in 2006. In 1944 fascist Spain, Ofelia is sent to live with her mother and new stepfather, a vicious captain of the Spanish army. She discovers a mysterious labyrinth where a mythical faun tells her that she is a princess. In order to return to her real father, the King, she must past three tests. Dr. Lisa Petrov, assistant professor of Spanish, will lead the discussion following the film.

On Thursday, September 17, the festival will conclude with La Notte di San Lorenzo (The Night of the Shooting Stars), an Italian film released in 1982. According to Italian folklore, the Night of San Lorenzo or the night of the shooting stars, is the night when dreams come true. In 1944, a small Italian town becomes divided when its residents learn that Nazis plan to destroy the town and that the Americans are about to arrive and liberate them. The townspeople must decide between staying in the Nazi's path of destruction or leaving and searching out the American troops. Dr. Veena Carlson, professor of Italian, will lead the discussion following the film.

Films will be shown in the Bluhm Lecture Hall of Parmer Hall at 6:30 p.m. each evening. Admission is $5 per film or $10 for the entire festival. For more information, please call (708) 714-9105 or visit www.siena.dom.edu.

Dominican University established the Siena Center to engage the critical issues of church and society in the light of faith and scholarship. The center was named for St. Catherine of Siena, a 14th century laywoman who worked for the reform of the church and justice in the world. Her passionate devotion to the central issues of church and society inspires the work of the center in its schedule of lectures, symposia, workshops, retreats, research and seminars.

Contact

Dominican University
http://www.dom.edu
IL, 60305 US
Kristin Peterson - Public Relations Coordinator, 708 524-6452

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Dominican University

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