4 Anime evokes larger Issues Langara English depart- ment hosting a discussion on animated films By BRYAN MC GOVERN will engross themselves in Japa- nese anime and its current popu- larity at the next English Forum panel. Continuing its monthly panel event on culture and media, the English Fo- rum at Langara College will engage students with a group discussion on the “mainstreaming of anime” on Feb. 26. Anime is a Japanese animation style, characterized by colourful graphics. Megan Otton, an English instructor at Langara, will lead the discussion. She said she wanted to back away from classics like the work of Hayao Miyaza- ki and instead focus on “great but less popular anime shows like Samurai Champloo and Attack on Titan.” According to Otton, anime has reached viewers worldwide with its broad genres and themes. “Anime makes you think about big issues like the end of the world,” she said. Kina Cavicchioli, an English instruc- tor at Langara, said that between 10 and 15 students attend the free forums, which give the discussions an intimate feel. Wren Go, Langara Anime Otaku Club leader, said the biggest attraction of anime is escapism. “It’s a very free medium, anything can happen [in it].” Go doesn’t shy away from the fact that escapism can be achieved through other media like books, but said west- ern media is opposite of anime. The dif- ference between anime and western entertainment is C C Ss instructors and students in their cultural philosophies, ac- cording to Go. . “North Ameri- Anime ca is all about in- makes dividualism and . Japan is all about you think community,” Go about big said. . . Otton said she issues like hopes the forum the end of will inspire stu- the world. dents to consider enrolling in al- ternative courses offered by the English depart- ment, including the anime film course scheduled for Fall 2015. “We would love for students to take courses that inspire them and make them enthusiastic about literature and film. We’re enthusiastic about it and we love to share that,” Otton said. MEGAN OTTON LANGARA ENG- LISH INSTRUCTOR ———— ! 2a ee Left: A tour led by a youth volunteer at the exhibit at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House. Right top and bottom: Panels displayed at the exhibit will be showcased at the South Vancouver Neighbourhood House. XIAO XU photos Anne Frank exhibit fights racism Touring Holocaust expo engages youths in Vancouver community By XIAO XU Ine Anne Frank House’s world- wide exhibition is being show- cased in South Vancouver. South Vancouver Neighbour- hood House will be hosting the Anne Frank-A History for Today exhibition between March 7 and 31. It will feature excerpts from Anne Frank’s wartime diary displayed on 34 large-scale pan- els. The exhibition is aimed at inform- ing people about the Holocaust. Karen Larcombe, executive director of South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, said the exhibition’s purpose is to inspire students and other commu- nity members with Anne Frank’s story and also highlight the existence of rac- ism in present day society. “Tt’s to draw attention to some of the issues that are still relevant today [like] discriminations and oppressions that people from minority groups expe- rience,” she said. The exhibition will also offer free tours, with trained youth volunteers to guide the audience. Vanessa Bui, youth community de- veloper at PeerNetBC, another local organizer of the event, said youth vol- unteers were genuinely interested in Anne Frank’s stories and social justice. “It’s good to have them be the one connecting with the community mem- bers,” Bui said. To make the event intergeneration- al, they’re also recruiting senior volun- teers, she added. Along with South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, Mount Pleas- ant Neighbourhood House, Frog Hol- low Neighbourhood House and Collingwood Neighbourhood House will also hold the travelling exhibition. The exhibition began on Feb. 17 at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House. Jocelyne Hamel, executive director of Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, said she sees the four members’ participation in the event as a great op- portunity to help advance neighbor- hood house movement, and show their social justice values to the community. “A lot of their work is doing things around bringing awareness surround- ing justice [and] racism,” Hamel said. “This particular exhibition really highlights something that happened in history, and it gives us an opportunity for young people to know about it.” LOCAL venues 1 Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House: Feb. 16 - Mar. 6 2 South Vancouver Neighbourhood House: Mar. 7 - Mar. 31 3 Frog Hollow Neigh- bourhood House: May 2 - May 31 4 Collingwood Neigh- bourhood House: June 2 - June 19 Source: PeerNetBC Langara bee film a buzz Local beehive documenta- ry by grad featured at Salt Spring Film Festival By REBECCA PHAIR lege grad Mathew Parry’s Hives for Humanity: The Power of Bees will screen at the Salt Spring Film Festival. The festival will take place at Salt Spring Island between March 6 and 8. It will feature 40 selected films from Canada and around the world, that ex- plore different topics ranging from arts to First Nations to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) and social justice. Parry earned his certificate in docu- mentary film production from Langara College in 2013, at which point Hives for Humanity was already underway. L“: filmmaker and Langara Col- Shortly after he finished the project, Hives for Humanity screened at Langara in spring of 2013. “TThe film] turned out to be a raging success,” Parry said. The film explores Julia Common’s efforts as she intro- duced a sense of worth and purpose to an entire community by setting up a beehive in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Her aim was to bring people together with the task of maintaining a healthy hive. According to Parry, Common’s daughter, Sarah Common, suggested to place a hive in the community garden. Although Common was skeptical at first, she now has 75 hives around Van- couver that bring communities together. Hives for Humanity will screen on March 7 and 8, and Parry will be at- tending. The film will also feature at Langara between March 20 and 22. =. én —_ . Left: Julia Common tending to a frame of bees. Right: A bee keeping workshop in the community garden. y Photos courtesy of MATHEW PARRY