Texas Tech International Film Series Begins Thursday

International film might seem like a foreign language to many students, but starting Thursday students have the opportunity to become “fluent.”

The Texas Tech University International Film Series is beginning its second run, beginning with “The Conformist” by Bernardo Bertolucci.

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College of Media & Communication Associate Professor Rob Peaslee, Ph.D., along with a programming committee, is in charge of the film series. He said he is excited for what this semester will bring.

Prior to last spring, Peaslee said, the film series was only offered in a class called Global Lens. He said it was a series that was ordered and films were screened in a classroom.

“Now we are programming the full schedule ourselves,” Peaslee said.

Not only are the films programmed differently this semester, Peaslee said, but also IFS has partnered with Alamo Drafthouse, where students can see each of the films for free.

“These are free screenings, but if students or anybody wants to reserve their seats, they can go on the website and buy a five-dollar food and beverage voucher,” Peaslee said. “So, essentially it’s a free show.”

Peaslee said Alamo Drafthouse helps with planning and organization, and the theater provides an overall great film-viewing experience.

“They are a great partner for us because when we screen things up there, they help us with working with distributers, projection — doing all of that stuff,” Peaslee said. “It’s a huge logistical chunk off our plates because there is a lot that goes into that.”

Peaslee said Alamo Drafthouse is always a good experience, and even though it is off campus, it’s not too far for students to travel.

For IFS, Peaslee said, the draft house provides consistency for students, and even if they are not used to watching foreign films, they will at least be in a pleasant environment and will not be stepping too far out of their comfort zones.

After each film, Peaslee said, there will be “DVD extras.” He said speakers will be there to describe the film. There will also be some live musical numbers, and even Cheech Marin will be in town after the IFS screening of “Born in East L.A.”

Victoria Surliuga, Ph.D., an associate professor of Italian from the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures, said she will be at Alamo Drafthouse to discuss Italian fascism and provide commentary after “The Conformist” screening on Thursday.

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“The Conformist is one of the most well-known Italian films that discusses Italy during the Fascist rule and the repression of the individual under a dictatorship,” Surliuga said.

IFS reflects the way Tech has become so diverse and is a great way to get exposure to international customs and cinema, Surliuga said.

This semester, IFS is also teaming up with RaiderComm to help promote the film series, in an effort to have more community-wide participation, Peaslee said.

Dasha Ivanova is a senior public relations major and is the RaiderComm account manager for IFS.

Ivanova said she is in charge of promotions, and her goal is to not only get IFS to be campus wide, but also community wide.

“I want to make sure IFS is viral,” Ivanova said.

Because she is originally from Russia, Ivanova said IFS holds a special place in her heart. She said students need to embrace this opportunity to learn more about different countries and cultures.

“Not many Americans watch foreign cinema,” Ivanova said, “but I think they should because not only does it help you learn more about countries but also about traditions.”

Ivanova said the knowledge viewers gain from IFS can come in handy for those who might want to travel one day. She said her hope is that people attend so they can open their perspectives to the world.

“Especially in the United States, there are so many people from different countries,” Ivanova said. “So, if you meet someone from Italy, you can say ‘Hey, I’ve seen ‘The Conformist.'”

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Peaslee said IFS has a wide variety of films this season, ranging from “Born in East L.A.” by Cheech Marin to a special 10th anniversary screening of “Hotel Rwanda” by Terry George.

IFS will also have a special Halloween screening of “Cronos” by Guillermo del Toro, Peaslee said.

If any student groups or professors have a film that fits into their curriculum, Peaslee said, feel free to contact IFS about getting it screened. He said IFS will help with all the logistics involved and looks forward to being able to screen new, different cinema.

You can follow IFS on Twitter and Facebook.