“Moonlight” Comes Home: FREE Screening & Intersectionality Panel

It’s practically impossible to not have at least heard about “Moonlight” by now, especially in Miami. So we’ve teamed up with a few organizations to bring FIU a free screening and discussion of our native gem! It doesn’t matter if you haven’t gotten around to watching it or seen it more than five times, be a little extra for Miami on April 4th and join us in GC 140.

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“Arrival” Author Ted Chiang Talks Folk Biology

On March 27, FIU’s School of Computer Information and Sciences and the Department of English co-hosted a public lecture with guest speaker Ted Chiang. Chiang is a critically acclaimed author whose novella “Story of Your Life” was the basis for the 2016 Oscar nominated film Arrival. His lecture, titled “Why the Brain is Not a Computer”, focused on the common misconceptions of Folk Biology in the media and how they hurt our ability to tell a narrative. His main focus was the Sci-Fi genre, but he explained how folk biology hinders story structure in general. The lecture provided insight into the methodology that Chiang uses to create stories.

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Oscars shine Moonlight on Liberty City

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Writer/director Barry Jenkins (L) and writer Tarell Alvin McCraney accept Best Adapted Screenplay for 'Moonlight' onstage during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

In a momentous occasion, Moonlight came out on top at the 89th Academy Awards.  Despite Hollywood’s checkered history around race, religion, and sexuality, the film that was made on a shoestring budget managed to take home three awards on Sunday night. The Academy Awards opened and closed the ceremony with Moonlight winning an award. The film taking home the biggest prize of the night, Best Picture, marks a huge step forward for the Academy. A coming of age film about gay man of color living in Liberty City, not about slavery or the civil rights movement, has expanded the Academy’s recognition of black filmmaking beyond confining storylines or stereotypes.

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Tips for Attending Your First Film Festival

The Miami Film Festival is here! But wait, you’ve never attended a film festival or festival screening before. Whether you’re diving in or just dipping your toe in the water, here’s everything you need to know to make your first festival experience shine.

Actress Monica Bellucci speaks at the Miami International Film Festival in Miami, Florida, US, on 8 March 2016. EFE/Gaston De Cárdenas
Actress Monica Bellucci speaks at the Miami International Film Festival in Miami, Florida, US, on 8 March 2016. EFE/Gaston De Cárdenas

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