Tour the world without leaving town
If you are an armchair traveler, or more of the accidental tourist type, campus activities this weekend will satisfy the wanderer in us all. And with spring break still weeks away, these events arrive in the nick of time.
Elaine Lage, Brazil’s answer to Greta Garbo, is featured in “Caicara,” which will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 12, at Cinematheque.
UW–Madison’s Language Institute has organized a day of performances and presentations that celebrate the diversity of the world’s languages. World Languages Day for the Community, to be held Saturday, March 13, is a special program that is part of Year of the Humanities events. World Languages Day for the Community builds on the success of World Languages Day, which brings some 700 Wisconsin high school students to campus each spring for presentations and performances. Now it’s our turn.
The idea behind both of these UW–Madison Language Institute events is to go beyond evaluating cultures by how they compare to our own; all cultures have rich, deep traditions and values. By studying languages and culture, we can bring down walls and stereotypes.
Attendees at World Languages Day for the Community can enjoy performances by the Russian Folk Orchestra and the Korean Drumming and Dance Club.
A selection of 15 presentations showing the depth and diversity of language and culture has been planned. Titles include: Folksongs and Linguistic Diversity in Wisconsin; Hmong Language and Culture; Learn to Read Ancient Greek in 30 Minutes; Speaking Swahili through your Clothes; Understanding Korean Popular Culture and Language; and Indonesia Today: Facebook, Indonesian Idol and Television.
All events are free and open to audiences of middle-school age and older and take place in the Memorial Union. For more information and a schedule of events, visit the UW–Madison Language Institute.
More international flavor is available at Cinematheque’s programming of many films from other countries. This weekend, films from Brazil and India are in the projectionist’s booth.
At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 12, a film from 1950, “Caicara,” will be shown. It stars Elaine Lage, Brazil’s answer to Greta Garbo. Her character is trapped on an island in a loveless marriage to an older widower. “Caicara” is part of a series of Brazilian films of the 1950s.
The next night, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13, “Om Shanti Om” covers love, murder and reincarnation in a nostalgic tribute to Bollywood greats. The film, from 2007, features more than 42 stars from the industry’s past. “Om Shanti Om” is part of Cinematheque’s Kings of Bollywood series. The films are known for their melodrama and elaborate song-and-dance sequences.
In addition to film series from Brazil and India, this semester’s film series include offerings from Egypt and Japan. More information on “Caicara” and “Om Shanti Om,” and other Cinematheque screenings is available at Cinematheque. Cinematheque is located in Room 4070 of Vilas Hall.
Wrap up the weekend on Sunday, March 14, at an exciting kick-off event for an international education conference that takes place the following Monday and Tuesday. “Brazil: From the Amazon’s Indigenous Tribes to the Glitter of the World Stage” takes place at 7 p.m. at Madison’s Marriott West, 1313 John Q. Hammons Drive, Middleton. Activities are free and open to the public.
Attendees can enjoy an evening of Brazil’s culture through dance (samba), music (capoiera), sport (futbol) and documentary film. Discussions of the country’s geography, environment, politics, economy and potential impacts of the 2016 Summer Olympics are also on tap. For more information about Brazil night, contact Sarah Ripp, 262-0616.