GROVE CITY, Pa. – Grove City College students and the surrounding community area invited to satisfy their film fix and travel the world during the College’s first International Film Festival on Nov. 8 and Nov. 11-15.

The Office of International Education is sponsoring the event planned in conjunction with International Education Week. The week’s goal is to increase international awareness on the Grove City College campus.

Favorite foreign films were suggested by College faculty members. After research by staff members Dr. Lois Johnson, associate director, and Rachel Rounsville ’08, intern, each film will be shown free of charge on campus with a brief introduction by the faculty member who suggested the film.

The following films will be shown at 7 p.m. in Room 115 of the Hall of Arts and Letters:
• Nov. 11 – “The Ballad of a Solider” (Russia), selected by Dr. Andrew Markley ’82, chair of the department of business and professor of business, tells the story of a young Russian soldier fighting in World War II who falls in love on his way home for a few days leave. The film was a Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Film in 1960.
• Nov. 12 – “Babette’s Feast” (Denmark), selected by Dr. Michael Coulter ’91, professor of humanities and political science, brings to life Babette, a young French Catholic refugee who moves in with two staunchly Protestant sisters in Denmark. When the sisters decide to hold a dinner for the anniversary their late father’s 100th birthday, Babette prepares a lavish feast for the extremely conservative village. The film was the Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film in 1987.
• Nov. 13 – “The Commitments” (Ireland), selected by Kimberly Miller, instructor of communication studies, is a humorous film about a group of young Dubliners who form a soul band. The film was a Golden Globe nominee for Best Film (Musical or Comedy) in 1991.
• Nov. 14 – “Together” (China), selected by Dr. Zhen Chen, assistant professor of modern languages, tells the story of Xiaochun, a 13-year-old violin prodigy, and his father as they relocate from their small Chinese town to Beijing to find the boy a teacher who will help him become famous. The film was an Independent Spirit Award nominee for Best Foreign Film in 2001.
• Nov. 15 – “The Lives of Others” (Germany), selected by Dr. Julie Moeller ’93, assistant professor of religion, is set in communist East Berlin in November 1984. Capt. Gerd Wiesler, a Party-loyalist and secret agent, is put in charge of collecting evidence against a playwright and his actress girlfriend who are not always faithful to Communist thought, and he doesn’t escape his assignment unchanged. The film won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2006.

The International Film Festival kicks off with a showing of “Joyeux Noel” at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 in Room 208 of the Hall of Arts and Letters. The film coincides with National French Week and was chosen by Dr. Cathy Trammell, professor of modern languages, and tells the powerful story of Scottish, French, and German troops fighting in the trenches in World War I who call a truce on Christmas Eve 1914 and celebrate together. The film was an Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Film in 2006.

International education has grown dramatically among Grove City College students. Next semester, more than 35 students will study internationally – seven times more than three years ago. The College’s International Study Center in Nantes, France, began with seven students and has 23 enrolled this semester.

The event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Light refreshments will be provided by the Office of International Education.