Jacob Bernstein, Special to The Denisonian—
Now in its fourth year, the Middle East Film Festival is underway at Denison throughout the month of February. Sponsored by several different academic disciplines, the festival contains four unique films that often culminate in a Q & A with the film director themself.
“We wanted to focus on the Middle East and provide a variety of films that relate to different topics, including political, social, and a mixture of both,” said festival organizer Dr. Isis Nusair, Professor of Women and Gender Studies and International Studies at Denison. Past showings have highlighted the generational impacts of political conflicts as well as the effect of foreign policy on memory formation.
The films have an emphasis on discussion leading, and in the case that the director of the film is not present, history or international studies professors facilitate constructive dialogue amongst engaged students. The films are screened for quality, with one of the major goals being that there is a good representation of different countries and cultures. Diverse perspectives remain a goal of the Festival; due to recent times, there will be more films on Israel and Palestine.
“It is very important for students to attend, and to think about what the filmmakers are communicating, especially with what is happening right now in Gaza,” Dr. Nusair noted.
If students are particularly interested in this film festival and wish to pursue topics like this on a regular basis, they are encouraged to check out the Middle East North Africa (MENA) Concentration, available on the Denison website. As part of the concentration, students study Arabic, travel abroad, and conduct research on the Middle East region.