Foreign flicks cross cultures

EMU's foreign film series is growing in popularity with 150 students, faculty, and community members at the program's first show, an Iranian film, "The White Balloon."

The foreign films series started in the fall 2004 semester with connections to the Vietnam Qom campus that meets in homes of professors to view films. Last semester, the average Vietnamese viewer-ship counted 200-300 people. This semester, Iranian students joined the program. There are already inquiries from India, Peru, Germany, and Thailand to join next year.

Film showings are arranged so both campuses will view them on the same day, or at least the same weekend. After viewing the films, everyone is invited to join an online discussion on Blackboard. Participants can post their opinions and questions as well as read Iranian and Vietnamese student responses. Dan Wessner, history professor, reports over 50 viewers from Iran and Harrisonburg responded via Blackboard to the first film.

The goal of the program is to learn more about the nations that have been at odds with the United States. Viewing the foreign films and participating in the Blackboard discussions is compared to a cross-cultural experience. Through the films, viewers can overcome common generalities of a specific culture.

"The White Balloon" is the story of a little girl who wants money to buy a goldfish for New Years. After convincing her mother to give her the money, she loses it on the way to the store. The rest of the movie shows how the community responds to the girl's delimma.

The film challenged popular belief by showing a very diverse nation with Afghani, Turks, Dervishes, and many other nationalities interacting daily with the Persian Muslim majority. The issue of gender roles was also addressed and differed from popular stereotypes.

The responses to the film reflect the participating countries' views. A participant from the Imam Khomenei Education and Research Institute (a Muslim seminary) in Qom believed the film was intended to remind viewers that spirituality is lasting and material goods fade. EMU students were awed at the fact that such a large city played a helpful role in the little girl's life. It appeared that the community acted as a "Good Samaritan." Both EMU and Qom students considered the importance of finding value in life as well as the importance of lending a helping hand. The discussions emphasized that one person's loss eventually affects others, and it illustrated the old adage, "It takes a village to raise a child." Comparing "Christian" values to the values emphasized in other religions is also an experience for EMU students.

"Many cultures and religions--as do we--find that 'suffering is a first truth' in our global milieu," said Wessner. "Foreign films are not so much about entertainment as they are about exposing such truths."