Movie + Dialogue

August 18, 2010 — How do broader public issues affect families and communities in the ways they live together and interact? The purpose of our movie night series is to increase awareness of timely topics and their effects, and to give participants an opportunity to discuss the social, political, and environmental concerns these films raise.

Join the Public Conversations Project for Movie Nights!

What: Movie viewing + discussion using Public Conversations Project's approach to dialogue

When: Third Thursdays of each month, Oct.-Dec. 2010, 7 to 10 p.m.

Where:  51 Kondazian St., Watertown, MA

Who: Anyone interested!

Cost: Free ($45 for three hours of CE credits—contact us for more details.)

RSVP:  Space is limited!  Please RSVP to abaron@publicconversations.org

Movies:

October 21: Temple Grandin  

Claire Danes gives a brilliant performance as Temple Grandin, whose autism is depicted vividly in this docu-drama about her life. The film creates awareness, sensitivity and increases understanding of the autistic mind. Temple perceives reality in exquisite pictures that allow her to know things about cattle that no one was previously aware of. Her sensory response to people, noise, and the environment is brought vividly to life. This film provides the viewer with a sense of what it is like to be autistic, and how encouragement to be a participant in life, along with support and understanding, helps Temple overcome the challenges in becoming a contributing member of society.

November 18: Milk

Milk is the story of Harvey Milk after he comes out as a gay man and becomes a spokesman for gay rights. He spent those years organizing and running for political office in San Francisco in the 1970’s and was instrumental in changing attitudes toward gay rights. Sean Penn is phenomenal as Harvey Milk. He and his cohort of gay political activists evoke compassion and warmth, and increase awareness of the oppression and mistreatment of gays in America.

December 16: The Visitor

The Visitor is an excellent film about the dilemmas of being a political refugee who lives as an illegal immigrant in the USA. It is about a man played brilliantly by Richard Jenkins, who befriends a street musician and his girlfriend, who are political refugees in the USA living under the radar. This ordinary man shares their helplessness in the legal system as the musician is held in jail with no representation. The audience becomes increasingly aware of the plight of illegal immigrants in the USA.

Co sponsored by The Public Conversations Project and Family Therapy Training Boston, in the spirit and tradition of the Family Institute of Cambridge