CWU Videmus Series: Six Thought-Provoking Features

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Central Washington University's 9th annual "Videmus Lecture and Film Series" begins on Monday, May 1, with six remarkable features and an outstanding group of faculty members to introduce each film.

The films were selected for their thought-provoking themes, educational value and, according to Djordje Popovic, series coordinator, their global perspective on issues ranging from immigration and the role of independent media in an informed society, to prostitution, gender expression and hip-hop.

"Videmus provides an open forum for students, faculty and community members to see films that may otherwise be unavailable and discuss some of the most pressing and contentious issues facing our society," Popovic says.

Each film will be shown at 7 p.m. in the new Student Union Theatre, with CWU faculty introducing and leading a discussion following the works, which include:

• Monday, May 1, the 2005 Academy Award nominated film by George Clooney, "Good Night and Good Luck," presented by Dr. Jerilyn S. McIntyre, CWU president and communication professor, and W. Davis Smith;
• Tuesday, May 2, a controversial 2004 U.S.-Mexican collaboration "A Day Without a Mexican," presented by history and Latin American studies professor Michael Ervin;
• Wednesday, May 3, "The Good Woman of Bangkok," a shocking documentary portrayal of prostitution, presented by Lene Pedersen, anthropology;
• Thursday, May 4, "Since Otar Left," a 2004 film from the former Soviet republic of Georgia and the Grand Prix winner in Cannes, presented by Maia Chachava, art;
• Friday, May 5, "Breakfast on Pluto," a 2005 gender-bender masterpiece by Ireland's Neil Jordan, presented by Virginia Mack, English; and
• Saturday, May 6, the series concludes with the 2001 hip-hop documentary "Scratch," presented by Casey Wagner of the KCWU 88.1 "The 'Burg," CWU's student radio station.

Videmus (literally "we see" in Latin) is sponsored by the CWU diversity education center, campus activities, College of Arts and Humanities, departments of anthropology, art, communication, English, foreign languages, history and political science; the CWU film and video studies, Latin American studies and "One Book, One Campus" programs; Central's diversity training initiative; Ellensburg Film Festival; First Amendment Festival; Office of International Studies and Programs, offices of the President and Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; William O. Douglas Honors College, Black Student Union, Progressive Student Union and KCWU Radio.

For more information about the film and lecture series, which is free and open to the public, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call (509) 963-1687, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143.

Contact: Djordje Popovic (509-963-1687/Fax 509-963-3561/Email: popovicd@cwu.edu)

Public Relations and Marketing: (509) 963-1493