SJC Faculty to Lead Film Discussions

September 25, 2013

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – September 26, 2013 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) faculty members will continue to host film discussions at the Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center (MAC) located in downtown Patchogue, as part of its ongoing Film Discussion Series. The Act of Killing will be shown on Thursday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m. with Thomas Petriano leading the discussion and Dr. Peter Mascuch hosting a discussion for 28 Days Later on Monday, October 21 at 7 p.m.

The Act of Killing is a documentary by Joshua Oppenheimer that recounts and re-enacts the brutal genocide by the Indonesian right-wing organization, Permuda Pancasila, and its founder, Anwar Congo, as only he and his friends could remember from the killing spree they went on in 1965-1966. During and after the filming, Congo has difficulty dealing with the emotions connected to his past, but remains loyal to the film and its honesty. Audiences and critics found the film disturbingly powerful and the Village Voice calls The Act of Killing “a masterpiece.”

28 Days Later by Danny Boyle is a sci-fi horror film that has been dubbed a modern zombie classic. After waking up from a coma, Jim finds London barren with a contagious, murderous virus making its way through the city, and only a few people have been spared. He joins the others and together, they must battle against those who have been infected and others who have a deceptive plan to rid the area of infection, and try to stay alive.

“This is the first film and discussion in an introductory series on Hollywood genres, which is being done in conjunction with my class, ‘Studies in Film/Media: Genre,’” said Peter Mascuch, Ph.D., associate professor of English and American studies and coordinator of the film media studies program at SJC. “28 Days Later is a very compelling introduction to the contemporary horror movie, as it initiated the still-with-us cycle of stories set in an apocalyptic future, filled with zombies. It will be fun to watch and discuss it the week before Halloween.”

The Film Discussion Series at Plaza MAC has included discussions by SJC English and Writing Professor Thomas Grochowski for the Academy Award winner, Searching for Sugar Man. In 2013, Thomas Petriano led discussions for Terrence Malick’s To the Wonder and the Academy Award nominee, 5 Broken Cameras. Peter Mascuch has also led film discussions on The Shining, Room 237 and the 2013 Academy Award winner, Amour.

Tickets for The Act of Killing and 28 Days Later are $10 each for the general public and $7 for students with a valid ID. For more information, visit www.plazamac.org.

ABOUT PLAZA CINEMA & MEDIA ARTS CENTER
The Plaza Cinema and Media Arts Center is a non-profit public charity organization dedicated to bringing the magic and power of movies and filmmaking to the hearts and minds of the community. On a weekly basis, the Plaza provides the Patchogue community with current, quality independent films from around the world while offering special films for children and cultural programming such as broadcasts of operas and ballet from the world stage. Starting in 2013, the Plaza will be offering classes in screenwriting, editing and film production.