Overlooked Film Festival kicks off with 'Mary Shelley' on Oct. 11

ANGOLA (10/04/2018) Trine University's Overlooked Film Festival begins Oct. 11 and will continue through Nov. 15.

Held each semester, the Overlooked Film Festival gives members of Trine's local community the opportunity to watch free films that were not released locally or that were generally "overlooked" at the time of their release.

Unlike past years, the day of the week on which films will be shown will vary throughout the festival. All films will begin at 7 p.m. in the Fabiani Theatre in the Rick L. and Vicki L. James University Center.

The film festival is one of Trine's major community outreaches, bringing everyone together once a week to enjoy a film. The event's audience is a mix of students, community members, and Trine faculty and staff.

The festival opens with "Mary Shelley" on Thursday, Oct. 11, and the showing will kick off Angola's Frankenfest weekend. Praised by the New York Times as "charmingly quaint and bracingly modern," the literary biopic tells the story of Frankenstein's young author. Directed by Haifaa al-Mansour, this period drama has all the expected pleasures of costuming, poetry, and a beautifully told story, but it also suggests "various streams of Mary's experience that feed into her chronicle of a misunderstood monster." Rated PG-13.

Other films scheduled for viewing are:

Monday, Oct. 15 - "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" This documentary paints a portrait of the life and work of children's entertainer Fred Rogers, star of the PBS classic, "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." A former minister, Mister Rogers creatively communicated themes of empathy and acceptance during a time of social turmoil in the United States. Don't miss this powerful, emotional reminder to "look for the helpers" in times of trouble. Rated PG-13.

Monday, Oct. 22 - "Tully." A thoughtful, provocative look at the travails of motherhood and post-partum depression. Actress Charlize Theron brings to life writer Diablo Cody's starkly honest, personal portrayal of motherhood given the reality and dangers of mental illness. While this film's writer and director call it "deliberately difficult," the message of this film raises important, legitimate questions. Rated R.

Friday, Nov. 2 - "American Animals." Four college students in Kentucky plot to steal rare books from their university in a misguided quest for personal glory. Based on a true story, the film includes interviews with and cameos of the foursome who actually attempted the bizarre heist. Written and directed by Bart Layton, "American Animals" is fascinating, funny, and, in the end, deep. Rated R.

Thursday, Nov. 8 - "Leave No Trace." In a very real American story of survival, a veteran faces his trauma when he and his daughter rejoin society after living off the grid. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times explains that, "the title evokes the ethos embraced by experienced campers and others who know the true way to love nature is to do no harm. In 'Leave No Trace,' the words also come to mean something more disturbing and difficult, namely the desire and sometimes the need to be so far apart from civilization that you're profoundly, perhaps permanently outside it." Rated PG.

Thursday, Nov. 15 - "Lean on Pete." Young actor Charlie Plummer ("Charley") makes his debut in this touching, mesmerizing coming-of-age story of a boy and the aging horse he seeks to save. Charley and Pete embark on an odyssey across the new American frontier pursuing their dream of a place they can call home, experiencing adventure and heartbreak in equal measure. Rated R.

In addition to the free movies, popcorn and drinks may be purchased outside of Fabiani Theatre from the sisters of Phi Sigma sorority. Fabiani seats 320 guests, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early if they have specific seating preferences.

The Overlooked Film Festival is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Humanities Institute and the Department of Humanities and Communication.