Central Michigan International Film Festival begins Thursday
This year, the Central Michigan International Film Festival will take place Feb. 5-8 and 12-15. Tickets can be purchased at Celebration! Cinema or Java City in Charles V. Park Library at $5 for one ticket or $10 for 10 tickets.
The festival was directed by Video Unit Head Eric Limeranko and primarily organized by the members of Film Society, a registered student organization at Central Michigan University. According to Film Society President Davis Nixon, a senior from Davisburg, the goal of the event is to spread cultural awareness. He said they try to incorporate films from as many cultures as possible.
“I really feel that film is an excellent teaching tool,” Nixon said. “I would encourage people to go to learn about other cultures in a fun and interesting way.”
He said students might talk to someone who has traveled to another country or read about other countries in the news, but hearing the perspective of someone from the Middle East or Australia in a film is a unique opportunity to get a better understanding of different cultures.
The festival includes 10 films, each playing at Celebration! Cinema or the Park Library Auditorium.
Nixon said that the films are more obscure than films that would typically be in theaters, so they spend much time searching for films that align with their message.
“This year, we’ve got a film from Pakistan, a film from Australia, from the UK, so it’s very diverse,” Nixon said.
Nixon said this is the most excited he’s been about the festival in the four years that he’s been at CMU because they were able to get a wide range of high quality, important films.
Among these films is "the Theory of Everything," which is the festival’s more mainstream film that will be playing for Valentine’s Day.
Nixon is excited to be showing "These Birds Walk," a film about Pakistani orphans.
“It’s a really, really powerful film,” Nixon said. “I think that’s probably the culture people know least about.”
The festival also will include "Niner," a film made locally by a CMU Graduate student and the CMU Shorts Program, which features short films by Michigan filmmakers.
For the first time, CMIFF is getting student organizations involved by having them set up booths if their organization relates to a particular film. For "Rhymes for Young Ghouls," a Canadian film about the schools Native Americans were forced into, Nixon said they’re having Native American programs participate.
“Being a Chippewa and bearing the Chippewa name, I think it’s very important (for students) to understand,” Nixon said.
For the complete festival schedule, visit CMIFF.com
