Venture to the shelves
Mossey foreign film feature: "City of God"
John Anderson
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: Arts
Cinematic gems await the student who takes the time to browse through Mossey Library's extensive film collection.
Take, for example, the Academy Award-nominated and highest-grossing foreign film of 2003, the Brazilian drama "City of God."
"City of God," directed by Fernando Mereilles, is a look at life in the shockingly violent world of Brazil's favelas, massive slums of flimsily built housing, shut off from the rest of Brazilian life, homes to vicious drug lords and criminals who prey on the lives of poor law-abiding citizens.
The movie portrays a decade in the life of Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), a slum boy who manages, through his kind nature and skill in photography, to avoid the ugliness of criminal life, and ultimately to find a brighter life on the outside.
"City of God" is not a particularly uplifting film, as it focuses on the apparent futility of life in an anarchic society. The directing and editing are excellent, however, and the cast is composed mostly of actors and extras who grew up in the favelas themselves.
Mossey's film collection is a cost-effective alternative to video stores. Foreign film is proving especially popular with students.
Junior Thomas Leonard said he likes foreign films "for the unique perspective they offer."
"You often don't get the typical Hollywood happy ending,"he said. "Foreign filmmakers aren't afraid to look at the darker side of life."
Library director Dan Knoch said the library gives priority to purchasing award-winning and culturally significant films, but he accepts purchase recommendations from all over campus.
Students can make purchase recommendations on the library's website, where they'll find a link on the right-and side of the screen.
The sources of the library's collection range from news agencies to documentary film companies to discount internet suppliers.
"We'll go anywhere to get a DVD," Knoch said. "We've gotten a lot from Amazon.com."
Hillsdale College Collegian, 2007
Take, for example, the Academy Award-nominated and highest-grossing foreign film of 2003, the Brazilian drama "City of God."
"City of God," directed by Fernando Mereilles, is a look at life in the shockingly violent world of Brazil's favelas, massive slums of flimsily built housing, shut off from the rest of Brazilian life, homes to vicious drug lords and criminals who prey on the lives of poor law-abiding citizens.
The movie portrays a decade in the life of Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), a slum boy who manages, through his kind nature and skill in photography, to avoid the ugliness of criminal life, and ultimately to find a brighter life on the outside.
"City of God" is not a particularly uplifting film, as it focuses on the apparent futility of life in an anarchic society. The directing and editing are excellent, however, and the cast is composed mostly of actors and extras who grew up in the favelas themselves.
Mossey's film collection is a cost-effective alternative to video stores. Foreign film is proving especially popular with students.
Junior Thomas Leonard said he likes foreign films "for the unique perspective they offer."
"You often don't get the typical Hollywood happy ending,"he said. "Foreign filmmakers aren't afraid to look at the darker side of life."
Library director Dan Knoch said the library gives priority to purchasing award-winning and culturally significant films, but he accepts purchase recommendations from all over campus.
Students can make purchase recommendations on the library's website, where they'll find a link on the right-and side of the screen.
The sources of the library's collection range from news agencies to documentary film companies to discount internet suppliers.
"We'll go anywhere to get a DVD," Knoch said. "We've gotten a lot from Amazon.com."
Hillsdale College Collegian, 2007
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