Friday, October 3, 2014

Page 1

THE

BROWN DAILY HERALD vol. cxlix, no. 81

since 1891

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Film festival showcases Latin American films Range of culture fuels lineup, demonstrating broad talent rather than specific theme By DREW WILLIAMS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Twenty-two years in, the Providence Latin America Film Festival is leading with its typical selection of films that — atypically — directly confronts such permeating societal topics as religion, gender and cultural disparity. But underneath the art-house sheen, the films serve a dual purpose, celebrating Latin American cinema for the already initiated and opening the eyes of those with a Hollywood-centric worldview. Responding to its diverse surroundings, the festival — which runs through Sunday and includes up to eight screenings a day spread out between Bryant University, the University of Rhode Island’s Providence campus and the Warwick Public Library — adopts the unofficial goal of “exposing anyone who is open-minded about anything, about

ARTS & CULTURE

the art of film, to see the shading of the Latino experience,” said Tony Aguilar, executive director of PLAFF. The festival begins with “Esclavo de Dios,” or, for those reading the accompanying subtitles, “God’s Slave.” Recently returning from the international festival circuit, and — like all of PLAFF’s offerings — unreleased in American theaters, “Esclavo de Dios” looks at a young Syrian boy who is raised by the same Islamic extremists who killed his family. Anointed a martyr and sent to Venezuela to blend in and build a life until the opportune moment to fulfill his mission as a suicide bomber, he struggles between the life he has grown to love and the religious call he believes he faces. The film juxtaposes this outsider South American experience with that of another minority — an Israeli Mossad agent, native of one of South America’s largest Jewish communities in Buenos Aires, who is bent on stopping the terrorist attack. Another film with contemporary relevance is “Mujeres con Pelotas,” translating to the double-entendre “Women with Balls.” The documentary focuses on the prevailing chauvinistic attitude that » See FILM, page 3

FOOTBALL

ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD

Looking to rebound after dropping their first two games of the season, the Bears hope to find success this weekend against a URI team that has given up 44 points and over 550 yards of offense per game.

R.I. battle pits Bears against Rams Both Ocean State teams seek ownership of Governor’s Cup, first win of season By ANDREW FLAX SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Though still winless, the football team is drawing confidence from its strong showing against Harvard ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the University of Rhode Island.

The Bears (0-2, 0-1 Ivy) looked like a different football team when hosting the Crimson Saturday, making plays on offense and defense that they had failed to against Georgetown in the season’s first game. Four turnovers against the Hoyas became one against Harvard, five penalties became three, and three points scored became 14. But a loss remained a loss, as the Crimson scored twice in a dominant fourth quarter to turn a 14-13 deficit into a 22-14 win. Bruno gave the defending Ivy League champions all they

could handle, and though it doesn’t show in their record, the Bears are feeling better about their season than it might seem. “We definitely took some big steps in the right direction,” said quarterback Marcus Fuller ’15. “I think we really demonstrated to Harvard and everyone that we’re a physical team,” said linebacker Xavier Russo ’15. “But we still lost the game.” Head Coach Phil Estes P’18 emphasized minimizing mistakes after a » See FOOTBALL, page 3

Secret keepers

Looking inside Brown’s online anonymous communities By GRACE YOON STAFF WRITER

Kiki Tapiero ’17 was scrolling through her Facebook newsfeed when she noticed a post: “Hearing people snap their approval of things makes me nauseous.” One of many anonymous posts on the page Brown University Confessions, the message resonated with Tapiero. Though it may have seemed a light-hearted and inconsequential confession, she said she saw it as evidence of certain, deeply human feelings that connect students — even if they never say them aloud. “Even though we generally say we are accepting, I think people are still afraid to say whatever they really feel,” she said. Anonymous online pages such as Brown Confessions are part of a growing trend among the Brown community and nationwide over the past couple of years. Many contributors choose these forums as places to divulge their innermost thoughts without facing the potential repercussions of expressing them in public. Various anonymous pages associated with Brown attempt to use anonymity for positive ends, like affirmations or affections, or as outlets for people to disclose personal issues or concerns.

ISABELLA OLEA / HERALD

Marques Love ’17 said he found the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America’s new “Racial Microaggressions and Microaffirmations” exhibition eye-opening because “any of the faces could have been me.”

Exhibit spotlights micro-interactions Gallery gives voice to oftignored microaggressions, microaffirmations for people of color at Brown By ALEKSANDRA LIFSHITS STAFF WRITER

“Where are you really from?” “He’s not white. He is cool.” “Black girls can’t sing opera.” These are just a few examples of the quotes featured in the exhibition “Racial Microaggressions and Microaffirmations,” which opened

inside

ARTS & CULTURE

Thursday at the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America. The display features 41 photographs of Brown community members of color, including students and faculty members, holding whiteboards, each bearing a microaggression or microaffirmation they have experienced. “It was painful to see (the) ubiquity of these experiences,” said Dannie Ritchie, clinical assistant professor of family medicine. By showing each face and individual story, the photographs provided emotional substance, she added. Revealing microaggressions and microaffirmations in exhibition format “is the beginning of a larger process of

awareness and the expansion of antiracist communication and connection,” said Tricia Rose, director of the CSREA. The exhibition focused specifically on microaggressions and microaffirmations that are brief and daily because “they serve as a powerful window on the casual but painful, ongoing and sometimes shocking ways that discriminatory and hurtful speech perpetuates societal inequalities, conflict and disrespect,” Rose said. Focusing on micro-level interactions is significant, since perpetrators are often unaware of the effects of their communications, said Ruthy Kohorn Rosenberg, » See EXHIBIT, page 2

Arts & Culture

Sports

New vegetarian chef at Lola’s Cantina caters to wider dietary restrictions

Storytellers for Good zooms in on social innovation organizations

Men’s soccer plays host to volatile Columbia team in Ivy League opener

Rugby puts its unblemished record on the line against a struggling Lions squad

PAGE 4

PAGE 5

PAGE 8

PAGE 8

weather

FEATURE

But the process of de-individuation, or the loss of one’s individuality, is not without consequence, for it could allow someone to normalize exemption from punishment, said Bertram Malle, professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences. On such forums, people are “more willing to be destructive, racist and harmful,” he explained. And because the nature of each page is shaped by the content submitted and chosen for publication, moderators of these pages are faced with the challenge of creating a space that balances the freedom of expression with the safety and comfort of students. ‘No ulterior motive’ Pages like Brown University Compliments and Brown Admirers seek to create positive spaces by allowing students to anonymously send praise to or express romantic interest in a particular person. Paige Morris ’16, who has received posts on both Compliments and Admirers, said the anonymity strengthens the impact of the compliments, making them more meaningful than those from friends. “(When) friends compliment me, I think of course they would have to, there’s a bias,” she said. “But if you get » See ANONYMOUS, page 2 t o d ay

tomorrow

66 / 51

69 / 50


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.