Two more films remain to be shown at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as part of the free “Beyond the Headlines” (BTH) October film series.
The programs are scheduled for the next two Monday evenings (Oct. 15 and 22) at the Woodland Theater on the third floor of the Davies Center at UW-EC. Doors open at 6 p.m. and each movie will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. They will be followed by a discussion.
The films explore the topics of journalism and poverty as part of the Wisconsin Humanities Council’s county-wide BTH program.
“The Florida Project,” to be shown next Monday, describes the life of 6-year-old Moonee and her single mother trying to make ends meet in the face of homelessness. While her mother struggles to pay for the motel they call home, Moonee and her friends explore life in the shadows of Disney World – the ultimate dream factory. The movie stars Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe.
The PBS Frontline special, “Poor Kids,” will conclude the series on Oct. 22. It explores what poverty means to children in America by telling the stories of three families over the course of half a decade. The discussion following this film will be led by Mary Nienow, assistant professor of social work at UW-EC.
The film series is sponsored by the UW-EC student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, with support from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.
“Beyond the Headlines” is a program of the Wisconsin Humanities Council, funded in part by local organizations and Eau Claire area media outlets. It is also funded in part by the Mellon Foundation in partnership with the Pulitzer Prizes, as part of the “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” initiative.
The films are free and open to the public, but those planning to attend are asked to register in advance. Registration can be completed online at https://beyondtheheadlineswisconsin.org/eau-claire, where additional information is also available.