Grab some Ju Ju Bees and be prepared to be entertained as The World Affairs Forum (WAF) is sponsoring a film series that is opened to the public held at Seton Hill University (SHU).
By Jeremy Barrick
Online Editor
Grab some Ju Ju Bees and be prepared to be entertained as The World Affairs Forum (WAF) is sponsoring a film series that is opened to the public held at Seton Hill University (SHU).
Part two of the film series occurred on November 16. The theme of this event was Animated Short Films. Three animated shorts were screened:Ghosts Before Breakfast: Strange Animations, Dimensions of Dialogue, and The Meaning of Life.
“Film is a powerful medium for communicating with a mass audience, and when used effectively, may represent a current culture or society, and even influence thinking, behavior, and action,” said Dr. Klapak, professor in communication and education and director of WAF.
The Animated Short Films series was the second edition of another one held earlier this year. The films were played in Reeve’s Theatre, and light snacks were provided. After viewing the films, a discussion was held on them.
Ghosts Before Breakfast: Strange Animations was released in Germany in 1928 pre-World War II. Directed by Hans Richter, who was known for his abstract shorts has everyday objects rebelling against their daily routine.
Dimensions of Dialogue was released in 1982. Directed by visual artist, surrealist, and Czech animated-film director Jan Svankmajer. The animated short won three major awards in 1983.
The Meaning of Life was written and directed by Don Hertzfeldt in 2005. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and toured other film and animation festivals in 2005-2006. The short 12 minute animation was hand drawn and took four years to produce.
“I really enjoyed the film titled Freaks and the discussion we had after viewing the film,” said Brook Sharpnack, a senior, on part one of the film series. “It was interesting to discuss the culture of the film when it was produced and how the film created culture through the characters and their actions.”
The WAF has three main areas of interest: art as public voice, Gaia Hypothesis/sustainability, and Global Perspectives which includes SHU’s afternoon teas (for campus community only) and the Film and Culture series. “Both events are intended to explore important issues,” said Dr. Klapak. The films are planned for entertainment, but have underlying issues for discussion of cultural, economical, political, historical, and social impacts of film and film on culture and culture on film.
“The WAF film series is designed to enhance our understanding of films that may be overlooked or misunderstood. Our first film of the series was Freaks, a film that really provoked question in regards to acceptance into society and how that has changed over they years. It caused us to take a look at the effects of culture and popular culture in the opinions and actions of our society today and then compare it to the culture and mindsets of the American culture in decades past,” said Lauren Dorsch, a senior.
The films for the series are chosen based on the their ability to define the mission of the WAF, to help develop a community of informed citizens by bringing together people of diverse and independent voice, politics, belief, idea, ability, vocation, learning, philosophy, and action.
The WAF is dedicated to the idea of listen, learn, and act, to be the change that we wish to see in the world.