This fall, Murray State's Cinema International program focuses on gender representation and aspects of masculinity. To kick off the season, Cinema International will present The Mustang (2019) this weekend. Program director, Dr. Thérèse St. Paul, speaks with Tracy Ross about the upcoming screenings and how the program has adapted to COVID-19 regulations.
From the Murray State Cinema International website:
"A violent inmate takes part in a Wild Horse Inmate Program and bones increasingly with the horses whom he respects for their fierce nature that echoes his. "The Mustang" focuses on the still-unique process of animal therapy treatment program for prisoners that the director researched by witnessing a pilot French program up close. Directed by French actress-turned-filmmaker Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre and produced by executive producer Robert Redford, this is an interesting film dealing with the female gaze on a very masculine environment."
"To kick off with the theme of aspects of masculinities and representation, it seemed like The Mustang was a good one," St. Paul begins. The Sundance film "takes place in America where there are mustangs, wild horses. It's mostly in English, but we'll hear some French. The interest for me is that it was a woman entering a world of testosterone." St. Paul says she's most looking forward to the discussions following the film, which will examine the male and female perspectives both in the creation and storyline of the film and the audience's own experience watching it.
Due to COVID-19, there will be some changes to the program this semester. There will be a cap of 40 people in the Curris Center Theater and 16 people in the Barkley Room. "There will be some goodwill asked of the public that they will have to bring a mask," St. Paul adds. "We will have some if they've forgotten one. There will be some social distancing within the theater. We hope that people will understand that this is for their own good."
St. Paul and colleague Dr. Ben Post, associate professor of Spanish, will lead discussions throughout the Fall 2020 season. There will also be an option for Spanish students to stream the screening online.
The Mustang will be presented in the Barkley Room on Thursday, August 27th, and the Curris Center Theater on Friday, August 28th. Both screenings will be at 7:30 p.m and are free to the public. Due to limited capacity, seats are first come first serve. For more information, visit the Murray State website.
