Though Valentine’s Day activities have traditionally included an amorous dinner and a dozen roses, a little something new is always a welcome way to spice up the most romantic day of the year.
The Office of International Services and the UAB have teamed up to bring an international romance double feature to the campus cinema in Witherspoon Student Center on Wednesday, Feb. 13.
According to Thomas Green, associate director of OIS, this is the first time the University has held a film festival of this sort.
“In 2011, we had this really huge program that featured a week of monster and Halloween movies from four different countries,” Greene said. “We toned it down a bit this year with just a double feature. It was really great, but we decided to go one step further and do a romance festival. It’s new, and we love the idea.”
While the international Valentine’s Day film festival is new to the University, Greene said he has always planned for something along the lines of the program.
“This program especially hits close to home with me,” Greene said. “I’ve always loved films, especially international films, so to be able to put together a program like this is a dream come true.”
When selecting the films for this year’s double feature, Greene said the OIS put a lot of thought into which countries “do romance best.”
“Romance is a really universal thing,” Greene said. “We had to look at which film industries were the most accessible and fun. Of course, it’s important to appreciate the way each culture tells a story, but it’s impossible not to notice when someone excels.”
The success of this year’s Halloween horror double feature inspired Greene and his team to compliment the event with one that is a little lighter. About 120 people attended the October event, but Greene expects to see an increase in number for Wednesday’s event.
“Horror just isn’t as accessible as romance,” Greene said. “You can relate to being in love with someone or being attracted to someone as opposed to being chased by a masked murderer.”
The film festival will feature a French film called Amélie and a Bollywood film called Namastey London.
Released in 2001, Amélie is a romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and written bhy both Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant. Amélie (played by Audrey Tautou), a young Parisian waitress, decides to help those around her by interfering in their lives. As she subsequently reunites families, torments the wicked, draws the isolated out of their seclusion and so on, she finds a man with a heart like her own and begins to fall in love with him.
Namastey London is a 2007 Bollywood film directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shahand and stars Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. Namastey London revolves around a girl who was born and raised in the heart of London. Jasmine, “Jazz,” has already been courted by many eligible suitors through her father, but has gotten rid of them in one way or another.
Tirelessly searching for a man with the same spirit and passion for adventure she possesses, Jazz falls for her boss, a ladies man who has been through three divorce settlements. A series of events and an arranged engagement bring a new light to the culture and heritage she has always deplored.
The film festival is free to the public, but OIS will be collecting canned goods as a part of a service initiative with CSLEPS. The donations will go to Feed the Pack at the North Carolina State Food Bank. When students donate two cans, they will receive a voucher for a free bag of popcorn.
“The event is unique and really different,” Greene said. “It hasn’t been done here, but it’s about time. You get a few films, a ton of culture and you get to help the community. So if you’re looking for something really special to do, this is it.”
