Friday, February 20, 2009

Familiar Faces

A documentary short, created by a student in RMU's Center for Documentary Production and Study exchange program has been selected for the “Faces of Realism” international film festival of The Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University.

“Cinema at 92.3 FM” a short film directed by Florian Michaelsen from the University of Applied Sciences in Dortmund, Germany, was selected for showing on the festival’s closing day, March 8, at 3 p.m. at Southside Works.

Taking place from Feb. 26 through March 8, at venues throughout Pittsburgh, “Faces of Realism” encourages audiences to examine how reality is portrayed through nine feature and documentary films from six different countries. In addition to the South Side Works Theater, film festival venues will include the Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room, the Future Tenant Gallery in downtown Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon's McConomy Auditorium.

Michaelsen participated in the RMU Center for Documentary Production and Study exchange program in 2007. He spent a month here and became fascinated with drive-in movie theaters, which they don't have in Germany. “Cinema at 92.3 FM,” which profiles a drive-in theater near Pittsburgh, has already been shown in several European film festivals.

Launched in 2004, RMU’s exchange program has seen seven RMU students and two professors travel to Dortmund to produce documentaries about that city, which is located in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition, nine German students and three professors have come to Pittsburgh, producing documentaries about yard sales, Wholey's Fish Market, summer basketball camps, and concerts at Hartwood Acres.

The Center for Documentary Production and Study also has exchange programs with universities in Turkey and Chile. In addition to working on their documentary projects, students and faculty participate in a full intercultural and educational exchange – attending classes, making presentations, visiting museums and enjoying the activities of the regions.

RMU’s Center for Documentary Production and Study is one of the sponsors of the “Faces of Realism” film festival. For a complete schedule, film descriptions and ticket reservation, visit the festival Web site at http://www.cmu.edu/faces/.

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