By The Global Film Initiative, on February 27th, 2013%
UTPA’s librarian extraordinaire Virginia Haynie Gause tells viewers in Macallan, TX, how to experience the world-and stay close to home-with Global Lens…
Pop Quiz! How can one broaden their respect and understanding of other cultures without the means and/or ability to travel? For us here at the Global Film Initiative, the answer is simple: By participating as an active watcher of international cinema, one can learn about the life, language, politics, and customs of another country, and all without a passport!
By The Global Film Initiative, on February 27th, 2013%
 The University of Richmond’s Boatwright Memorial Library acquires the 2012 DVD set and gets more than just movies…
Did you know that universities and colleges are eligible to purchase subsidized Global Lens DVD sets for their library? It’s true! Not only do they represent some of the most important examples of world cinema available today, and not only are they super-affordable, but they also include unlimited lending, streaming, and public performance privileges. Not kidding!
Continue reading FEATURE: University of Richmond Putting Global Lens To Work
By The Global Film Initiative, on February 13th, 2013%
“Cairo 678 is an important film — one all women should watch and all men should pay attention to.” – The Huffington Post
Global Lens 2013 is full-steam ahead, wrapping up at the Santa Barbara IFF and Portland IFF, and this month we’re putting the spotlight on CAIRO 678.
Continue reading NOW PLAYING: Right on Time with CAIRO 678
By The Global Film Initiative, on January 17th, 2013%
Following its January premiere at MoMA, Global Lens 2013 heads to Tampa and marks GFI’s sixth year working with Gasparilla…
Every January, without fail, we premiere a brand new Global Lens film series at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, before it begins its yearlong tour of the country the following month. And this February, the fine folks at the Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) will bring Global Lens to Tampa, FL, for its sixth consecutive year! Starting with Zhang Yuan’s wonderful BEIJING FLICKERS (the opening-night film at the MoMA premiere), GIFF will present two screenings each of all ten films at the Tampa Museum of Art throughout 2013, and most of the series will also be included in the festival proper, which runs from March 19th to the 24th.
Continue reading SPOTLIGHT: A Taste of Gasparilla
By Santhosh Daniel, on January 11th, 2013%
Soup's on: Matt Poland, CEO (far left) and Jerome Meyers, Public Services Director (far right), of the Hartford Public Libary with Jeremy Quist, Global Lens Series Manager and Santhosh Daniel, Director of Programs
Ten years later, the the folk tale is still the best way to define our community, films and programs
Do you know the story of “Stone Soup?” It goes something like this:
Some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Suspicious, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food with the hungry travelers. So, the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire…
Eventually, one of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers declare, “We’re making stone soup!” “What does it taste like?” asks the villager. And the travelers say, “Why, it tastes wonderful—but could use something to improve the flavor.” Enchanted, the villager decides to give them a few carrots…
A few moments later, another villager walks by. And the travelers again mention their stone soup, which still needs “something” to make it just right. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning to help them out. Eventually, more and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. And finally, the entire village adds a little something, and
Continue reading TAKE INITIATIVE: The Theory (and Story) of Stone Soup
By Angelica Dongallo, on December 17th, 2012% ‘Change the way you see the world’ with the swipe of a library card, click of a mouse, rip of a movie ticket…
(Photo: Creative Commons)
In a previous post, I discussed the values of education through world cinema, specifically among high school students. But we all know that education really extends beyond school and teachers and students (and books and homework, for that matter), and influences us every day of our lives, regardless of whether we’re enrolled in a formal educational institution. Learning takes place anywhere and everywhere, all the time, and even more so among viewers of Global Lens films.
Take, for example, when a patron enters the Hartford Public Library, seeking to learn about war and its influence on the people living in Iraq. The obvious choice would be to find a book or encyclopedia on the topic, but now that the library is one of several in our Global Public program, anyone can use their library card to check out Global Lens 2012 film QARANTINA (dir. Oday Rasheed, Iraq) for a visceral case-study of a family living in Iraq. The film even shows you the point of view of a military tank as it rolls through the streets of Baghdad…
Continue reading EDUCATION: Learn Everywhere
By The Global Film Initiative, on October 22nd, 2012%
Richard Katz, AP Human Geography Teacher at Roosevelt High School, on understanding our ‘universal humanity’ via foreign film…
"We all laughed and came away feeling how universal the experience of film and laughter must be across cultures." -Rik Katz, after screening Global Lens film MASQUERADES to his high school students.
The first time my students and I viewed an international film together, it was eye-opening. We watched a film from Algeria entitled MASQUERADES—we were all prepared for a serious account of this country, but were happily surprised to discover the film was actually a satire! We all laughed and came away feeling how universal the experience of film and laughter must be across cultures. That was when I realized that we had struck gold, and I just had to share this with other members of our school community. The students could also not stop talking about the experience and how transformative it was.
Continue reading EDUCATION: ‘Striking Gold’ with Global Lens
By The Global Film Initiative, on October 15th, 2012%
 “A gentle political satire set in a remote pueblo in 1980s Argentina…an engaging, often amusing portrait of a community on the cusp of change….” -Variety
“Sergio Teubal’s hilarious satire proves its capacity for both belly laughs and observant political barbs.” -Wines of Argentina
Not many political elections involve a severed finger in a jar, but then, this is not your typical election. Far from the debates and attack ads of Romney and Obama’s current race—but still based on actual events—Sergio Teubal’s THE FINGER concerns a moody shopkeeper bent on ensuring his brother’s mayoral victory, even after the beloved candidate turns up dead just weeks before the election. A guaranteed charmer, this dramatic comedy spins a tale of mystery, village life, revenge, and leadership, suggesting that sometimes a dismembered digit can point the way to a better future than an actual, living candidate!
Programmers and curators: View the 2012 lineup now on Vimeo or Festival Scope and email us at [email protected] to schedule the films today!
Film fans and enthusiasts: Read the list below and click on the map to find out where you can catch these fantastic films!
Continue reading NOW PLAYING: Let THE FINGER Point You Toward Global Lens!
By Angelica Dongallo, on September 13th, 2012% Our education partners are gearing up for the annual November event, and here’s why it’s time your school joined our ranks…
Take a sneak peek of our IEW 2012 films, including AN INVISIBLE EYE (Argentina) seen here!
At GFI, we really enjoy the art of “giving.” Regardless of whether we’re donating films to high schools, hosting free screenings at public libraries or awarding grants to filmmakers, our goal is to give you access to the best films (and stories) from around the globe.
Enter: your local high school.
This fall, we’re continuing this mission by offering your high school two unique (and free!) ways to bring our award-winning narrative world cinema series-Global Lens-to your classroom during International Education Week (November 12-16-less than two months away!):
Continue reading EDUCATION: International Education Week 2012-Give Your Students an Edge
By The Global Film Initiative, on September 10th, 2012%
 “It’s been a while since a film captured an actor’s world with the intelligence, creativity and insight of Craft.“ -Variety
“A wonderful and perfectly calibrated film….” -BrazilNYC
Like a well-seasoned actor who has the ability to charm or break your heart, Gustavo Pizzi’s visually rich CRAFT does both — effortlessly and beautifully. Featuring a pitch-perfect performance by Pizzi’s real-life wife, Karine Teles (upon whom the dazzling narrative of a struggling São Paulo actress/celebrity impersonator is based), this debut feature illustrates the kind of thrill and anxiety that often accompanies one’s dedication to a dream. Now available for booking in your festival or theater, along with nine other award-winning and critically acclaimed films from the Global Lens 2012 series!
Programmers and curators: View the 2012 lineup now on Vimeo or Festival Scope and email us at [email protected] to schedule the films today!
Film fans and enthusiasts: Read the list below and click on the map to find out where you can catch these fantastic films!
Continue reading NOW PLAYING: Gustavo Pizzi’s Award-Winning Portrait of an Artist, CRAFT!
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