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Censorship Symposium slated for March 30-31 |
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Kristi Rank |
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Mar 27, 2007 |
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The University of Toledo Department of Theatre and Film will present its annual Censorship Symposium, a two-day event where the discussion of censorship is uncensored, Friday and Saturday, March 30-31, in the Center for Performing Arts Lab Theatre on Main Campus.
Three films will be screened exploring the breadth of image presentation in the United States. In addition to the films, there will be an open forum on Saturday afternoon investigating the power of visual images and how that power is wielded and received.
The first screening will be “This Film Is Not Yet Rated,” directed by Oscar nominee Kirby Dick. His independent documentary film about the rating system voluntarily imposed by the Motion Picture Association of America reveals the nature of ratings themselves, the situation of filmmakers as they choose whether to submit their work for a rating, and the biases that control the industry. Dick used private investigators to look at the Motion Picture Association of America and its appeals board, corporate pressures and public interests.
Director Marlon Riggs’ “Tongues Untied” utilizes documentary and fictional footage to create a personal piece about race, sexuality and belonging. An award-winning filmmaker, Riggs used his camera to explore his own experiences as an African-American gay man and the issues of identity manifested in his own life. After many PBS affiliates aired the piece, Riggs found himself at the center of a national controversy over public screenings, artists’ rights, and the debate in Congress over the content of art itself.
Following this screening, the University, local and regional communities are invited to participate in “How Much is Too Much? The Peculiar Power of Images.” This public forum is intended to provide a place for people to discuss the current situation in movies and television where the inclusion of images of violence and sexuality are points of contention for some viewers. Members of the University community will be present to frame the discussion and provide information when needed.
The symposium will conclude with a screening of John Cameron Mitchell’s “Shortbus,” which was well-received at the Cannes, Toronto and Sundance film festivals last year. Set in post-9/11 New York City, the piece investigates contemporary ideas about love and sex through several characters whose lives intersect in and around a modern-day underground salon “for the gifted and challenged.”
The films presented contain mature themes, sexually explicit material and strong language.
Seating is limited for the free, public events.
For information, call the Department of Theatre and Film at 419.530.2202 or visit http://theatrefilm.utoledo.edu.
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