by Cindy Lewis
Daily Lobo
Six bucks will buy a student a movie ticket, popcorn, a soda and a feel for a diverse mix of films at the Southwest Film Center this semester.
The theater, located downstairs in the SUB, will show over 20 films this semester including many genres - from animation to the sick and twisted. The films will be shown every week, Thursday through Sunday, and the cost is only $3 with a valid student ID.
Last semester, the return of the Southwest Film Center to the SUB brought in twice the number of people it did two years prior, said David Herman, assistant director of the SWFC. But the SWFC hopes to bring in a lot more people this spring.
"We now have a better idea of how to advertise to the students, and we're more organized," Herman said.
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The movie extravaganza will start next Thursday at 6 p.m. with "The Deer Hunter," a film about young factory workers from a small town who are drafted during the Vietnam War.
"It's about the loss of innocence within a group of friends and how they cope with war and deal with the repercussions of what they see," Herman said.
Also showing during the opening weekend is "In My Skin," an exploration of a woman who becomes obsessed with self-mutilation.
The SWFC has chosen films from around the world that students might not be exposed to otherwise.
"It is important for the University to have these types of films that are not made to bring in millions of dollars," said Thomas Andrews, director of the SWFC. The mass appeal is not there because (these films) are so drowned out by commercial films. We want to give students a sense of culture and artistic integrity."
This film culture is often found in independent and foreign films, he said.
If students are looking for a cheap date this Valentine's Day, the French film, "Amelie," will be playing Feb. 12-15. This clever tale is of the journey of a Parisian waitress who finds love while transforming the lives of people around her. But if you would rather see blood and gore "Natural Born Killers" will also be playing.
The SWFC will have several themed weekends throughout the semester including Asian-action, gay and lesbian, experimental film, animation and Nizhoni weekend.
During the experimental film weekend, March 25-28, New York filmmaker Zoe Beloff will come to speak about her unique variety of cinematic imagery.
"Experimental Narrative" will present a number of shorts that go beyond the boundaries of traditional films. Also showing, "The Structuralist," will explore the mechanics and phenomenon of film.
"Animation Show" will be screened the following week during animation weekend. This film, co-produced by former Albuquerque resident Mike Judge and Academy Award nominated animator Don Hertzfeldt, features the world's best animation pieces. Japanimation master Hayao Miyazaki's "Princess Mononoke," a tale about civilization verses nature, will also play April 1-4.
In addition to screening films, the SWFC will hold its first annual UNM Student Film Festival. Students can submit any experimental, narrative, music video, documentary or short film they have produced, Andrews said. Several films will be chosen and shown April 29 through May 2.
Students can also express their artistic side by submitting short films to the SWFC that will be shown after every feature film.
