New Documentaries

Details:

In addition to the new documentaries featured in our Art on Screen series, Block Cinema will also present two new films that focus on the experiences of several girls, from Nashville, Tennessee, to Damascus, Syria, who are grappling with issues of gender, adoption, race, and religion. Somewhere Between follows several bright teenage girls from across the US who were adopted from China, as they attempt to define themselves as both Chinese and American. The Light in Her Eyes provides an unprecedented look inside a religious school for girls in Damascus, filmed shortly before the political turmoil in Syria.

 

Somewhere Between

Friday, October 12, 2012 7:00 PM

Thursday, November 1, 7:00 PM

(Linda Goldstein Knowlton, 2011, USA, video, 94 min.)

After filmmaker Linda Goldstein Knowlton traveled to China to adopt a baby girl, she felt compelled to understand the experiences of Chinese adoptees in America. To that end, she found and filmed four teenaged girls who were adopted at a young age and brought to various parts of the country, each with their own unique experiences and radically different adoptive families. Somewhere Between follows these girls as they attempt to define themselves as both Chinese and American, while dealing with issues of gender, race and identity.

Due to the sensitive subject matter this film is not recommended for ages 13 and under.

 

The Light in Her Eyes

Thursday, November 8, 2012 7:00 PM FREE
(Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix, 2011, USA/Syria, video, 85 min.)

Filmmakers Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix provide a rare inside look at a religious school for girls in Damascus, filmed not too long before the political upheaval in Syria. Founded 30 years ago by the then 17 year-old Houda al-Habash, a female Muslim preacher, the school hews to a conservative religious line while at the same time trying to instill a passion for learning and a sense of empowerment in the young students. The Light in Her Eyes situates al-Habash’s activities within a broader cultural context, illustrating the strong desire of many women in the Middle East to ensure that women can engage in spiritual and intellectual pursuits outside the home. “Wonderful” and “surprising.”—The Huffington Post.

Co-sponsored by the Muslim Students Association.

IN PERSON: Co-Director Laura Nix.

Contact The Block Museum of Art for more information: (847) 491-4000 or email us at block-museum@northwestern.edu