TAMIU's Roadside Cinema: 2002 Spring Film Festival Offers "Smoke Signals" March 7

"Roadside Cinema," Texas A&M International University's Spring Film Festival's trip through road movies, continues with "Smoke Signals." The film will be shown Thursday, March 7 at 7 p.m. in Bullock Hall 101. The showing is free and open to the public.

"Smoke Signals" (1998), directed by Chris Eyre, follows two Native Americans as they travel from Idaho to Arizona to retrieve a father's remains. This bittersweet comedy examines the friendship of the two men and provides insight into the Native American experience without the distortion of sentimentality or outrage.

Written, directed, performed, and produced entirely by Native Americans, the film looks directly at social issues that threaten the Native American community such as alcoholism and domestic violence. The issues are handled with wry humor, excellent writing and fine acting, allowing the audience to experience the situations without overwhelming them with moralism.

The film is rated PG-13.

After the show, there will be 15 to 30 minutes of commentary and questions and answers, led by Dr. Sean M. Chadwell and Dr. William J. Nichols II, both assistant professors in the College of Arts and Humanities, and series creators.

The next film, "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo García," will be shown on Thursday, March 21. There will be no film on March 14, as the University will be on Spring Break. Peckinpah, nicknamed "Bloody Sam," is known for his gory, violent and dark westerns. The journey in Bring Me the Head takes place in Mexico and involves an American piano-player, two nasty bounty hunters and of course, a head. Rated R.

For more information on the "Roadside Cinema," 2002 Spring Film Festival, contact either Drs. Chadwell or Nichols by phone, 326.2471, 326.2610, visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 418C, room 421B or visit the festival's website: http://www.tamiu.edu/~wnichols/road.htm.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu