Recently I sat down with Dr. Christabelle Sethna, an Associate Professor in the Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies, University of Ottawa, to discuss the Institute’s first film festival, running between 2014-2015. Open to all students, this festival is surely not one to miss.
What is apparent after meeting with Professor Sethna is that the Institute is dedicated to reaching out to students, especially those at the undergraduate level. We spoke at length about undergraduate students feeling intimidated by their professors and why it is essential that they realize that professors are eager to connect with them. It is her hope that through this festival undergraduate students will be able to meet professors outside the classroom setting, as well as learn more about the Institute. She also expressed numerous times her desire to encourage more undergraduate students to study at the graduate level. She drew particular attention to the graduate programs available within the Institute, where research into masculinity, reproduction and other current issues is always growing.
The film festival runs once a month. Jointly developed by Professor Sethna and Dr. Christine Kelly, a postdoctoral fellow working in disability studies at the Institute, the festival rotates between showing either a French or English film. The opening night English-language film, Fixed, took place on September 24th. It deals with the science of human enhancement, disability and technology. Each film begins with a professor’s introduction and ends with a bilingual in-depth discussion. The features aim to inform, enlighten and encourage the viewer to see and understand society from different perspectives.
The upcoming films and dates are as followed:
1. Tomboy (en français) – October 23, FSS 4006
This 2011 film follows the story of a 10-year-old girl, Laurie, who moves to a new neighbourhood and introduces herself to her new friends as a boy. It follows the struggles that this young individual has in her journey to acceptance amongst her peers.
2. Desperately Seeking Helen (in english) – November 14, FSS 4004
Made in 1999, Desperately Seeking Helen is a part-documentary, part-confessional film about a young South Asian woman who is caught between her life in Quebec and her family ancestry. It also examines the tensions that exist between her sisters, her mother and herself.
3. 17 Filles (en français) – January 22, FTX 227
Based on a true story, this 2011 film follows a group of girls who decide to form a pregnancy pact. Examing the pull of maternal desire, this feature questions the role of reproduction in young women’s lives.
4. The Weather Underground (in english) – February 25, FSS 4004
Offering a first-hand look into the political activism that occurred in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement, this film examines the role of violence in social change.
5. C.R.A.Z.Y (en français) – March 19, FSS 4004
Produced in 2005, C.R.A.Z.Y. provides a glimpse in the lives of ordinary Quebecois individuals. It examines topics such as isolation, family, transition and heterosexual-homosexual desires.
All films run from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.