American boxing star Muhammad Ali, a 10-year-old girl in Saudi Arabia and an advertising executive who orchestrates an audacious campaign to overthrow a Chilean dictator are among the stars of the five films in the University of Notre Dame’s annual ScreenPeace Film Festival, which takes place Feb. 6-8 (Thursday-Saturday).
The critically acclaimed films will be shown at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Each film will include an introduction and post-film discussion led by a Notre Dame faculty member.
Films in the series include:
- “The Trials of Muhammad Ali,” 7 p.m. Feb. 6 (Thursday). This film covers the explosive crossroads of Ali’s life: when his conversion to Islam and refusal to serve in the Vietnam War left him banned from boxing and facing a five-year prison sentence. Discussion will be led by Rashied Omar, research scholar of Islamic studies and peacebuilding at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.
- “Wadjda,” 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 (Friday). Wadjda, a fun-loving 10-year-old girl in Saudi Arabia, desperately wants to purchase a beautiful green bicycle, despite living in a society that sees bicycles as dangerous for girls. When her mother won’t allow it, Wadjda takes matters into her own hands. Discussion will be led by Susan St. Ville, director of the Kroc Institute’s Master’s Program, who teaches courses related to gender and peace.
- “NO,” 9:30 p.m. Feb. 7. This film focuses on a brash young advertising executive in Chile who in 1988 orchestrates an advertising campaign to overthrow military dictator Augusto Pinochet. Discussion will be led by Steve Reifenberg, executive director of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, who teaches and writes about international development, particularly in Latin America.
- “The Square,” 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8 (Saturday). This film transports the viewer deeply into the heart of the Egyptian Revolution, telling the inspirational story of young people claiming their rights in the fight to create a society of conscience. Discussion led by David Cortright, director of policy studies at the Kroc Institute, who teaches and writes about nonviolent social change and revolution in Egypt and elsewhere.
- “The Act of Killing,” 9:30 p.m. Feb. 8. This story draws viewers into the world of Indonesian gangster Anwar Congo and his friends as they stage dramatic reenactments of the mass killings they orchestrated in 1965 while helping the Indonesian government kill more than a million alleged communists, ethnic Chinese and intellectuals. Discussion will be led by Tanisha Fazal, associate professor of political science and peace studies at the Kroc Institute.
Films are free, but ticketed. Call the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Ticket Office at 574-631-2800 to reserve tickets, order them online at performingarts.nd.edu or pick them up at the box office.
The ScreenPeace Film Festival is co-presented by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.