Rwandan film "Kinyarwanda" to be screened Friday, September 28, 2012

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Still photo from film "Kinyarwanda"

ALBANY, NY (09/14/2012)(readMedia)-- "Kinyarwanda" (United States, Rwanda, France, 2011, 100 minutes, color, directed by Alrick Brown) will be shown on Friday, September 28, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in Page Hall, 135 Western Avenue, on the University at Albany's downtown campus. Sponsored by the New York State Writers Institute as part of its Classic Film Series, and UAlbany's School of Criminal Justice, the screening is free and open to the public.

"Kinyarwanda" is the first film in a mini-series within the Classic Film Series entitled, Justice & Multiculturalism in the 21st Century. Justice & Multiculturalism in the 21st Century is a multifaceted project aimed at engaging conversations about the intersection of social justice and criminal justice in an increasingly diverse society. UAlbany's School of Criminal Justice and the Writers Institute are partnering to present six films over the next year that will explore these issues. Topics that will be explored during the fall 2012 series are genocide, capital punishment, and terrorism. Each screening will be followed by a discussion. Other films in the fall series will include "The Execution of Wanda Jean" (2011, directed by Liz Garbus; October 19); and "Day Night Day Night" (2002, directed by Julia Loktev; November 30).

Winner of the World Cinema Audience award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, "Kinyarwanda" is based on the heroic true story of local Muslim clergy who risked their lives to save both Tutsi and pacifist Hutu-Christians as well as Muslims-during the Rwandan genocide. In a four star review, Roger Ebert said, "Here is a powerful film." NOTE: The film's producer Darren Dean and leading actress Hadidja Zaninka will answer questions immediately after the screening.

For additional information contact the Writers Institute at 518-442-5620 or online at http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst.

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