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34th Annual Film Series Continues with ‘Timbuktu’ Oct. 4

The OCU Film Institute's 34th Annual Film Series will continue with a screening of Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu on October 4th.

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Africa’s most illustrious living filmmaker, Sissako directed the Oscar-nominated Timbuktu. He blended politics and poetry in a lyrical examination of the repercussions of the jihadists in northern Mali. In the film, Kidane lives peacefully with his family not far from fundamentalist leaders. Sissako uses meticulously composed imagery, imaginative metaphor and a measured, impressionistic narrative to render Kidane’s family life. The director never demonizes the zealots as monsters — they remain recognizably human, albeit profoundly and cruelly misguided.

The theme of this year’s season is based on Viktor Frankl’s classic book Man’s Search for Meaning. Harbour Winn, director of the series, said the theme is intended to help participants come to understand the purpose of suffering.

“The films in this series stress the importance of an individual’s attitude to existence,” Winn said. “Even when life seems restricted by external forces, we can choose the attitude with which we live and make meaning, to find value.”

The screening will begin at 2:00PM at the Kerr McGee Auditorium in the Meinders School of Business at NW 27th Street and McKinley Ave. A discussion will follow the presentation for those who wish to stay. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.

ACCOLADES FOR TIMBUKTU

-“Jihadism is perpetually ablaze in the news, but Timbuktu gives those who suffer its condemnations a searingly human face.” Christian Science Monitor

-“A masterful account of religion trumping humanity.” Toronto Star

-“An extraordinary accomplishment, a visually spectacular and largely accessible work from a cinematic master who is more than ready for international attention.” Salon

-“An unflinching, quietly furious exploration of life under radical Islamist rule. It also makes a point about power that even nonextremist, democratically elected leaders would do well to keep in mind.” NY Times

-“Not just a timely movie, a great one. It feels at once permanent, immediate, and essential. A masterpiece. An extraordinary film.” The New Yorker

-“Sissako has made a film of unforgettable anger, yet tempered his outrage with humor, compassion and visual poetry.” NPR

UPCOMING FILMS

* Oct. 18, Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu

* Nov. 1, Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne’s Two Days, One Night

* Jan. 24, Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up

* Feb. 7, Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox

* Feb. 21, Asghar Farhadi’s About Elly

* March 6, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Leviathan

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