Kartemquin Films at Lyric take closer look at rhetoric
The two films being shown are "Golub: The Late Works are the Catastrophes" and "Terra Incognita." Both films were produced by Kartemquin Films, a company that, according to its Web site, "has been making documentaries that examine and critique society through the stories of real people." Both films employ the use of interviews and real-life footage to create their stories.
According to Kelly Belanger, the director for the Center for the Study of Rhetoric in Society, one of the sponsoring organizations of this event, both of these films were selected because of the controversial social issues that they address -- which include violence as well as stem cell research. One of the main goals of the rhetoric center is to eventually create a documentary that examines Title IX and its effect on gendered issues. They'd like to model their film off the two films being shown in Blacksburg next week.
Belanger went on to say that the films support the mission of the CSRS, which is to study the role of language in individual and social transformation. She also said that she is looking forward to seeing how the directors created their films and created the rhetoric of their films.
"Golub: The Late Works are the Catastrophes" follows the artistic journey of Leon Golub, who, according to a press release from Belanger, creates his art using what tends to be violent "mass media images that are sketched onto an enormous canvas, painted over in a series of intricate layers, and violently scraped off to reveal the final piece." His work is also juxtaposed with his wife's work, which focuses on the female form.
Gordon Quinn, one of the founding members of Kartemquin Films as well as a producer and director of "Golub," will be one of the members on the panel to discuss his film.
"Terra Incognita" takes a look at stem cell research through the eyes of one scientist who begins intensely studying how to regenerate neural cells after his daughter is paralyzed from the waist down by a skiing accident.
Director and producer of "Terra," Maria Finitzo, said the film was originally intended to be in favor of stem cell research entirely, but after seeing how gung-ho her main subject was about the research, opted to interview people with opposing viewpoints, such as a Catholic priest.
"Terra" took her about four years total to create, and she still keeps in touch with the people who were part of her film
With this film, she hopes to "engage people in a level of dialogue so we can come to an agreement on this issue," said Finitzo.
Bill FitzPatrick, an associate professor of philosophy, will be sitting on the panel to help discuss this film. FitzPatrick has done research regarding moral philosophy behind stem cell research and hopes to delve into the complex moral issues of stem cell research that the film deals with; one of those being what kind of moral status a blastocyst (a fertilized egg a few days after conception, from which stem cells are harvested) has in society.
In his notes for his panel discussion, he mentions questioning "whether the blastocyst is a deeply valuable being with dignity and rights, like a person, or not. One point I'd like to note is that this question can't be settled by mere semantics or by just pointing out the obvious with rhetorical flourish."
Ashley Patriarca, a Ph.D. student in rhetoric and writing who has been helping organize the film showing of "Terra," said that the film will appeal to "students who are interested in language or how reality is constructed -- how one event can shape an entire career."
"Terra Incognita" will be shown on Monday, April 14 and start at 3 p.m. "Golub: The Late Works are the Catastrophes" will be screened on Tuesday, April 15, and will last from about 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Both showings are free and at the Lyric.
