Featured Events - Updated Weekly

Twelve Days to the Election: What Could Change, What Probably Won'tThursday, October 22
5:00 PM
Online Event

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This joint SOC-SPA virtual panel will examine/assess the U.S. election landscape on late afternoon, October 22, and will reconvene to assess the outcome at midday on November 10. Panelists will include Candy Nelson of SPA, Lenny Steinhorn and W. Joseph Campbell of SOC, and Amrutha Chatty, director the student-run Kennedy Political Union lecture series. The programs will be on convened on Zoom and will be moderated by Ron Elving of National Public Radio, who also is an executive in residence and professorial lecturer in SPA.

Films Across Borders: Stories of Resilience and Hope Featuring "Nomadas"Tuesday, October 27
5:30 PM
Online Event

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Join us Tuesday, Oct 27 at 5:30 pm ET for the United States Premiere of Nomadas, a mesmerizing exploration of the diverse Mexican biosphere, followed by a live virtual panel discussion with filmmaker and AU SOC Alumnus Emiliano Ruprah and AU SOC Professor Maggie Stogner. 

Films Across Borders: Stories of Resilience and Hope Virtual Panel Discussion on “The Serengeti Rules” Tuesday, November 10
6:00 PM
Online Event

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Join us Tuesday, November 10 at 6:00 pm Eastern for a live virtual panel discussion about the award-winning film The Serengeti Rules. Maggie Burnette Stogner, executive director, Center for Environmental Filmmaking, and AU School of Communication professor, will moderate the discussion with Kiho Kim, AU College of Arts and Sciences professor, and Sean Carroll, head of studio, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios.

Recent Past Events

Films Across Borders: Stories of Resilience and Hope Featuring "Do The Right Thing"Tuesday, October 13
5:00 PM
Online Event

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Join us on Tuesday, October 13 at 5 pm ET for a live virtual panel discussion about Spike Lee’s 1989 dramatic exploration of racial tension “Do The Right Thing.” Dr. Jeffrey Middents, associate professor of literature at American University will moderate the discussion. He will be joined in conversation by Dr. Marisol Negrón, assistant professor of American studies and latin@ studies at University of Massachusetts Boston; and Yaba Tuffour, filmmaker and AU alumna.

All About the Story: A Conversation with Journalist Leonard Downie, Jr. Friday, October 9
6:00 PM
Online Event

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Join us on Friday, October 9th at 6pm Eastern as former executive editor of the Washington Post Leonard Downie, Jr. discusses his new book, "All About the Story". At a time when the role of journalism is especially critical, Downie draws on nearly fifty years at the newspaper and the importance of getting at the truth. Downie is an advisory board member of the Investigative Reporting Workshop, based at the School of Communication at American University. Downie will be in conversation with SOC Journalism Professor John Watson.

Films Across Borders: Stories of Resilience and Hope 2020 Kick Off Event Featuring "For Sama"

Tuesday, October 6
12:00 PM Eastern 
Online Event

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Join us on Tuesday, Oct 6 at 12 pm ET for a live virtual panel discussion about For Sama. 

For Sama is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab's life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad wrestles with an impossible choice - whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter's life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much. The film is the first feature documentary by Emmy award-winning filmmakers Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts. Awards include 2020 BAFTA for Best Documentary, 2020 Peabody Award and 2019 European Film Academy Documentary Award.

More Info about overall film series: FilmsAcrossBorders.org.

 

Book Launch: Story Movements: How Documentaries Empower People and Inspire Social Change

Monday, October 5
6:00PM
Online Event

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Join us on Monday, October 5th at 6pm Eastern for the launch of Assistant Professor Caty Borum Chattoo’s new book, Story Movements: How Documentaries Empower People and Inspire Social Change (Oxford University Press). Caty will be joined in conversation with Elaine McMillion Sheldon, an Academy Award-nominated, and Emmy and Peabody-winning documentary filmmaker (Heroin(e), Recovery Boys), moderated by Professor Leena Jayaswal, AU School of Communication Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Director of the Photography Program. Also a documentary filmmaker, Leena is a member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia and New Day Films.