Smile Politely

Listen Up: December 2013

The semester is winding to a close, but there are still plenty of events to take advantage of on campus. 

WHAT: Artist Talk: “The Place of the Ghost: A Phenomenology of Genius Loci” with Dylan Trigg

WHERE: Krannert Art Museum Auditorium 

WHEN: December 3rd, 5:30 p.m.

ABOUTAs part of the School of Art + Design Placemaking Lecture Series, philosopher and author Dylan Trigg presents “The Place of the Ghost.” This series explores the act of “placemaking” as a practical and philosophical construct, invented and defined through communities, collaborations and modes of communication.

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WHAT: Prairie Research Institute Lecture featuring Dr. Scott W. Tinker

WHERE: Lincoln Hall Theater

WHEN: December 3rd, 7 p.m.

ABOUTOn Tuesday, December 3, 2013, the Prairie Research Institute Lecture Series will feature Switch, a documentary film, followed by a discussion with Dr. Scott W. Tinker. What does the future of energy really hold? Join energy visionary Dr. Scott W. Tinker on a spectacular global adventure to find out. Dr. Tinker explores the world’s leading energy sites, from coal to solar, oil to biofuels, many highly restricted and never before seen on film. He gets straight answers from the people driving energy today, international leaders of government, industry and academia. In the end, he cuts through the confusion to discover a path to our future that is surprising and remarkably pragmatic. Switch is the first truly balanced energy film, embraced and supported by people all along the energy spectrum – fossil and renewable, academic and environmental. Dr. Tinker is the Director of the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, the State Geologist of Texas, and holds the Allday Endowed Chair in the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin.

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WHAT: Community Cinema Documentary Film Series: The State of Arizona

WHERE: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory

WHEN: December 3rd, 7-9:30 p.m.

ABOUTThe divisive battle over illegal immigration in Arizona that came to a head with Senate Bill 1070 frames this tense documentary that tracks multiple perspectives – activists, politicians, Latino immigrants, controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio, ranchers, and others – as America eyes the results.

This event is supported by the Illinois Public Media/Spurlock Museum Community Cinema Partnership.

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WHAT: European Movie Night: Almanya: Welcome to Germany

WHERE: Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Language Building

WHEN: December 5th, 7 p.m.

ABOUTIt’s not easy “assimilating” comedy into a depiction of Europe’s troubled relations with its migrant workers. But that’s exactly what ALMAYNA: WELCOME TO GERMANY does with the past and present of one Turkish-German family as they stumble through two countries to ask one question: “Who am I?”

Forty-five years ago, Huseyin (Vedat Erincin) came to Germany from Turkey as a Gastarbeiter (a guest worker). Now, as a full German citizen, he’s taking seven of his family members back to his home village and a life that his grandchildren can barely imagine. Meanwhile, Huseyin’s grandson, Cenk (Rafael Koussouris), tries to do exactly that: imagine the absurd hurdles that his grandfather had to clear on the way to his new home, like an immigration official who insists on the importance of pork consumption.

Its opening and closing credits may roll to archival footage of Germany’s guest worker program, but ALMAYANA is more feel-good comedy than social commentary. Still, in the 45 years and thousands of kilometres between Hamburg and Anatalya, Huseyin’s family finds plenty of life to experience.

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WHAT: VOICE Reading Series

WHERE: Krannert Art Museum Gelvin Noel Gallery

WHEN: December 5th, 7:30 p.m.

ABOUTThe VOICE Reading Series showcases readings by fiction writers and poets from the University of Illinois Creative Writing MFA program.

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WHAT: Campus Connect: MBA Admissions event

WHERE: Business Instructional Facility, 515 East Gregory

WHEN: December 7th, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

ABOUTJoin us and learn in-depth about the ILLINOIS MBA! You will have the opportunity to network with current MBA students, sit in on a mock lecture, and explore our experiential learning opportunities. We will also be offering admission interviews.

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WHAT: Kids@Krannert: Hands-on Family Fun

WHERE: Krannert Art Museum, All Galleries

WHEN: December 7th, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

ABOUTDuring Kids@Krannert, we fill Krannert Art Museum with hands-on activities for the entire family.  Parents and children (ages 3-8) are invited to join us for art projects, family tours, demonstrations and other exciting events.

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WHAT: Middle East Film Series: Ajami

WHERE: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, 600 South Gregory

WHEN: December 8th, 2 p.m.

ABOUT“Ajami” (Israel 2010, 120 mins.), directed by Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani; producers, Mosh Danon and Thanassis Karathanos. Through this dramatic collision of different worlds, we witness cultural and religious tensions simmering beneath the surface and the tragic consequence of enemies living as neighbors.

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WHAT: University of Illinois Latin Jazz Ensemble Performance

WHERE: Krannert Performing Arts Center, Studio Theatre

WHEN: December 8th, 7:30 p.m.

ABOUTSouth American, Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, and traditional jazz rhythms will entwine in this kinetic improv session with Tito Carrillo and the UI Latin Jazz Ensemble.

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WHAT: Lecture: “Experiments with Truth: The Hindi Colonial Historical Film” (Corey Creekmur)

WHERE: Levis Faculty Center, 919 W Illinois St, Second Floor

WHEN: December 9th, 8 p.m.

ABOUTThis event is organized in collaboration with the screening series “Present Past Future: Indian Cinema at One Hundred.”

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WHAT: Past Present Future: Indian Cinema at 100: Bombay

WHERE: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory

WHEN: December 10th, 7 p.m.

ABOUTIn observance of the centenary of Indian cinema, the University of Illinois Library presents “Past, Present, Future: Indian Cinema at 100,” a forum dedicated to examining the origins, evolution, and future of Indian cinema in both local and global contexts. This landmark event, marking one hundred years of innovation, growth, and productivity by the world’s largest, most prolific, and most culturally diverse film industry provides a unique opportunity for the University of Illinois – home of nearly one thousand students who hail from the subcontinent, and more than forty South Asian specialists from across the disciplinary spectrum – to recognize the artistic, cultural, and historical contributions Indian cinema has made over the last century.

Bombay is a critically acclaimed 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is located in the period of December 1992 to January 1993 in India, with special reference to the Babri Masjid controversy in Ayodhya.

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WHAT: Stories of Giving

WHERE: Ancient Mediterranean Gallery, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory

WHEN: December 14th, 2–3 p.m.

ABOUTIn celebration of the holiday season, resident storyteller Kim Sheahan will offer a family storytelling concert of multicultural folktales highlighting giving and generosity.

We live near a major university and a community college. There are smart people that come here every week to talk to the general public about interesting topics. Here’s a sampling of the talks and events you can find in the not-so-ivy-covered buildings near you. These events are free and will fill your brain with yummy knowledge (and sometimes will fill your stomach with free eats). 

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