DePaulina, IL
Jan 28 2007

Shining the spotlight on interfaith cinema

by Alexandra Klimczak
Staff Writer

The interfaith scholars present a new program that aims to attract
the film enthusiast, faith scholar, student and faculty member alike
with their carefully-chosen cinematic gems.

The DePaul Student Interfaith Council and student interfaith scholars
based in University Ministry introduced film screenings this quarter.
The Interfaith Film Society is part of the University Ministry’s
intefaith ministry program, which aims to "foster opportunites for
religious understanding, dialogue, and celebration among the
different faith communities on campus, and seeks to build a strong
intercollegiate network of interfaith leaders.
Taking place once each week, the film screenings provide an
opportunity for students to experience different cultures and eras
from multiple perspectives.

Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. The films are screened on
the Lincoln Park campus in the Schmitt Academic Center, Room 254. The
next film screening and discussion will be held Jan. 31 and is on
Sergei Parajanov’s "Color of Pomegranates."

Sofiko Chiaureli stars in this production made in 1969 based on the
life of Armenian poet, Sayat Nova.

The closing film for the quarter will showcase an American director
that challenged many social norms of the early 1900s.
T.J. Bigbee, a senior religious studies student and an interfaith
scholar explained that the nature of meetings is to "bring together
people as a catalyst for dialogue." He refers to a fellow organizer
as being the passion

behind the project.

This coordinator, Hunter Seamons, a 2004 DePaul alumnus with
concentrations in acting and religious studies planned the
screenings. Seamons is now a graduate student at DePaul. The group
was started as a way to combine his passion for film and the
interfaith mission.
The new program introduces an expanded approach alongside the recent
initiative to promote interfaith discourse. After researching other
ministry activities, Seamons wanted to create a group that could
introduce art as a medium of faith discussion.

According to Seamons, "The films have been chosen to be powerful
experiences."
He explains that the screenings provide two opportunities for active
intercultural thought. This experience is not solely for the
religious, but rather can help anyone "explore through the eyes of
the other."
Although the current meetings have seen modest turnouts, the group
has the potential for consistent growth. The screenings utilize both
the filmmaker and the viewpoints of the present veiwers to build
knowledge and understanding of both differences and similarities.
The group’s mission to bring together people of diverse backgrounds
carries on through their work with other interfaith organizations,
including the interfaith ministries on campus.

These groups include the Niagara Foundation, which works to spread
diversity throughout the city and the Interfaith Youth Core.
The Interfaith Youth Core is an organization that "seeks to build a
movement that encourages religious young people to strengthen their
religious identites, foster inter-religious understanding and
cooperate to serve the common good," according to a link on the
Interfaith Film Society’s Web site.

The Interfaith Film Society’s future film screenings include "The
Wild Blue Yonder," which will be shown Feb. 7 in the Student Center,
2250 N. Sheffield Ave. Room 316; "The Gospel According to St.
Matthew," will be shown on Feb. 14. "Ikiru" will be shown on Feb. 21.
Charlie Chaplin’s 1920’s black and white silent classic "The Kid"
will cap the screenings for this quarter.

Events are open to all people. Discussion of the films presented is
open to students, faculty members, and anyone who wishes to pose new
perspectives to the group.
The Student Interfaith Scholars encourage open discussion and
questions concerning many of their programs.
The student interfaith scholars welcome any inquiry into the
interfaith initiative or questions concerning details of the
Interfaith Film Society.

More information about the Interfaith Film Society can be found on
the University Ministry Web site,
The Interfaith Film Society
also has a Facebook group.

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