It’s not often you can take a journey from the Red Centre to Guantanamo Bay, and Harlem to East Timor for free.
But cinema-goers and film-buffs can do exactly this during The University of Queensland’s Centenary Film Festival on Saturday July, 3 at the iconic Schonell Theatre.
The free film festival, which is an initiative of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science (SBS), will screen five movies including Iris, The Road to Guantanamo, Samson and Delilah, Precious and Balibo.
The movies have been selected based on their themes reflecting the Faculty’s study areas, such as journalism, communications, education, political science, international relations, social science, psychology, social work and human services.
While the film festival is being held during the UQ Centenary Alumni Reunion Weekend, festival organisers are quick to point out that the event is open to everyone.
“This is our way of saying thank you to the community for their support to the faculty and the theatre over the years,” said SBS Executive Dean, Professor David de Vaus.
“We look forward to catching up with familiar faces, but also hope that local residents will come along and enjoy the day as well.”
The festival starts at 10am with Iris, a moving depiction of novelist Iris Murdoch’s descent into Alzheimer's Disease. The Road to Guantanamo will screen at 12.30pm, followed by Cannes Winner Samson and Delilah at 2.30pm, the Oscar-winning Precious at 4.30pm and Balibo will close the festival, screening at 7.00pm.
The Schonell Theatre, which celebrates its 40th anniversary during the UQ Centenary year, has a snack bar, and is located adjacent to the fully-licensed Pizza Caffe.
The theatre is open to the public year-round, with movies screening Thursday through Sunday.
Other activities during the Alumni Reunion Weekend include a Carnival in the Great Court, open free to alumni, students, staff and the general public.
School, faculty and college specific activities and reunions will also be held over the weekend.
For more information on the film festival and the weekend’s activities, visit www.alumni.uq.edu.au/reunionweekend
Media: Centenary Film Festival (Helen Burdon, 07 3346 9279, h.burdon@uq.edu.au), Alumni Reunion Weekend (Claire Corones, 07 3346 3908, c.corones@uq.edu.au)
