Tonight on the Wesleyan Film Series

THE CELEBRATION

1998. Denmark. Dir: Thomas Vinterberg. With Ulrich Thomsen. 101 min.

The birthday celebration of a wealthy Danish patriarch descends into a maelstrom of torment, hostility, and startling accusations when the guest-of-honor's darkest secrets are publicly revealed. Filmed entirely in hand-held, Vinterberg's masterpiece of Dogma 95 is alternately shattering and farcical.

Date: Thursday, May 1

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Goldsmith Family Cinema

Free admission.

Wes Alums Discuss Immigration Policy

A panel discussion with Wesleyan alums and faculty, about U.S. immigration policy:

(Broken) Promises: Asian Americans and the Face of US Immigration

Daphne Kwok '84 is the executive director of the Angel Island Foundation and will speak about some of the issues behind the recent push for comprehensive immigration reform. Indira Karamcheti, professor of English and American Studies, will be speaking about the role of South Asians and US immigration. Eric Byler '94 is a filmmaker ("Charlotte Sometimes"; "Americanese") and has been documenting the struggle over anti-immigrant legislation in Prince William County, Virginia.

Date: Thursday May 1

Time: 7 pm
Place: Usdan 108

Check out part of Eric Byler's documentary, featuring a bigot trying to explain to protesters why they should learn to speak thamselves some English:

"The Great Silence: Rape in the Congo" Screening

WESTAND presents: The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo

Since 1998 a brutal war has been raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Over 4 million people have died. And there are the uncountable casualties: the many tens of thousands of women and girls who have been systematically kidnapped, raped, mutilated and tortured by soldiers from both foreign militias and the Congolese army.

The world knows nothing of these women. Their stories have never been told. They suffer and die in silence. In The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo these brave women finally speak.

Emmy Award winning producer/director Lisa F. Jackson spent 2006 in the war zones of eastern DRC documenting the tragic plight of women and girls in that country's intractable conflict. She was afforded privileged access to not only the grotesque realities of life in Congo (including interviews with self-confessed rapists) but also to examples of resiliency, resistance, courage and grace.

Jackson was herself gang raped in 1976 and shared her experience with the survivors she interviewed. These women in turn recount their stories with an honesty and immediacy pulverizing in its intimacy and detail. The film is a journey into a literal heart of darkness, a search for survivors who pay witness to their own experiences, and break the silence.

Background, context and opinion are provided by interviews with peacekeepers, politicians, activists, doctors and priests. But above all there is the wrenching testimony from dozens of survivors of sexual violence who recount stories of chilling barbarity. This film gives them dignity, a face and a voice that will finally break the silence that surrounds their plight.

Date: Thursday, May 1st
Time: 6:00 Free Dinner
6:30 Film Screening
Place: PAC 002

For more information: http://www.thegreatestsilence.org/

Investor Responsibility Discussion

Discussion tomorrow:

Please join us at a town hall meeting this Thursday to discuss issues of investor responsibility at Wesleyan, with a focus on how the process of divestment will be dealt with in the future.

You can find a link to the proposal for a Committee for Investor Responsibility at wesleyan.edu/wsa. We are eager to hear comments on the existing draft before it is submitted to the Board of Trustees.

We encourage interested faculty, staff, and students to attend! Please email wsa@wesleyan.edu with any questions or comments.

Date: Thursday May 1
Time: 4:15
Place: Woodhead Lounge (in the science center)

The Endowment Advisory Committee:
Charlie Alderman ´11
Julien Burns ´10
Mufaro Dube ´08
Kathy Stavis ´10
Becky Weiss ´10

Dharma music - Ravenna Michalsen

A night of Dharma-inspired music with Ravenna Michalsen

Thursday, May 1st - 8:00 p.m.
Buddhist House (356 Washington)

"Gutsy, powerful, colorful, and as deeply devotional singing as you'll ever hear. Think Buddhist gospel music... Her pure and clear voice is skillfully combined with a lush and atmospheric soundscape, and the sparse textures help to spotlight the breadth of her emotional range."

www.myspace.com/RavennaM