Chiaroscuro Film Series: Ushpizin/Holy Guests
When
Sunday, February 26, 2012
2:30 PM
Where
Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, 2 West Fulton, Grand Rapids, (616) 454-7000.
Category
Humanities,
Photography, Film & Video
Description
The annual Chiaroscuro Film Series will focus this year on Humor Around the World. The humor that provokes laughter varies along with cultures in which it is found around the world. Historically, humor has been analyzed and theorized upon by scholars from Aristotle to Freud. It involves a diverse array of tastes and trends, word plays, sexual innuendo, intellectual mockery, and even jokes about death. Join us as we travel around the world, exploring the elusive source of humor in various cultures through the marvelous medium of film.
Next up in the series is the 2004 film Ushpizin/Holy Guests, directed by Giddi Dar. Per Netflix: Downtrodden Moshe and his wife are given a sum to help prepare for the holy holiday of Succoth and end up hosting two unannounced guests (rather, escaped prisoners) in this humorous take on orthodox Jews living in modern Israel. The film's writer, Shuli Rand, stars alongside his real-life wife, Michal Bat-Sheva Rand. Hebrew with English subtitles. Rated PG.
Chiaroscuro is coordinated by educators from local universities and members of the community, with a mission to promote cultural diversity and awareness through the presentation of international films and round-table discussions. It was co-founded in 2005 by Zulema Moret, Grand Valley State University director of Latin American Studies and associate professor of Spanish, and Gretchen Minhaar, a Grand Rapids architect and artist. Learn more at www.chiaroscurofilmseries.com.