4 THE VOICE, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012 EDITOR JENNIFER FONG CS World Film Festival comes to Langara Continuing studies depart- ment presents the largest social justice film festival which is in its 11th year BY HAYLEY DOCTOR ore than 35 films about environ- Meee: activism and social jus- tice will be screened at the World Community Film Festival, the largest social justice film festival in B.C., at Langara College Feb. 10 to 12. CoDevelopment Canada and World Community Development Education Society have teamed up with Langara’s Continuing Studies Department to bring this festival to the college for its eleventh year. The festival covers top- ics ranging from social and political is- sues to the oil industry and farming. Festival coordinator Erin Mullan wants people to be motivated by the films shown. She wants to “activate them to do something and to learn about how we can work together for social change.” Saturday night’s feature film is Louder Than A Bomb, an award-win- ning film about the world’s biggest youth poetry slam in Chicago by the same name. “It shows that poetry has the power to change,” said Mul- Jan. Leslie Kemp, program coordina- tor of the sustain- able communities program through Langara pro- Continuing Stud- gram coordinator ‘€8 38 4 strong ad- vocate for the festi- val. “We're committed to supporting im- portant work organizations are doing in the community,” said Kemp. The gala allows patrons to see what is go- ing on in their community that affects them. “We want people to feel that they can get involved and be active in these issues,” Kemp said. Opening night will include a talk from Richard Heinberg, environmental activist and author, which is followed by two films - Love in Action, a five minute short, and the Vancouver pre- miere of Just Do It. Both these movies document the non-violent actions and tactics of the Occupy movement. Richard MHeinberg “highlights changes that we need to make,” said Mullan. His lecture will emphasize our society’s need to consume goods and fossil fuels. There will also be a social justice ba- zaar that connects progressive activist organizations with festival patrons, and will include the sale of fair trade goods and snacks. The films will be screened in five theatre rooms around the campus, and include three short films made by Lan- gara students. This is the eighth year the festival is being held at Langara College. Admission to all three days is about $27 for students, $85 for the general public. The Friday night opening lec- ture has admission by donation and begins at 5 p.m. Caesar takes a feminine slant Studio 58 switches up gender roles in their version of Julius Caesar 66 It’s not go- ing to bea traditional production .. witha bunch of middle- aged senators in togas SCOTT BELLIS By TYSON CORNFIELD all it Caesar, with a twist. Theatre buffs have much to look forward to this month as Langara’s Studio 58 presents an innovative take on the Shakespearean classic Julius Caesar. In a deviation from convention, di- rector and Langara grad Scott Bellis has opted to put a unique spin on the play by casting female actors in the roles of traditionally male characters, opening the door for countless new in- terpretations. “Tt’s not going to be a traditional pro- duction of ancient Rome, with a bunch of middle-aged senators in togas,” said Bellis. “The whole fabric of society is much different.” The play, which details Shake- speare’s version of the assassination of Caesar in 49 BC and the ensuing blood- shed, was written with only two female characters. In Bellis’s version, he cast actors in whichever role he felt fit best, regard- less of gender. The end result has 10 of the 16 char- acters played by females, including the lead roles of Brutus, Cassius, Octavi- ous, and Caesar. “My approach was to let the stu- dents audition for whatever roles they were most interested in, and then just take it from there.” As one of the founding members of the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, Bellis is no stranger to classic works, but the task of redefining gen- der roles throughout the play posed an interesting challenge. “We look at what it means for wom- en to step into these roles... where you might normally expect to see a man in this culture, this society,” he said. “So as a woman, how do you have to behave and carry yourself? It changes a lot of the dynamic.” However, Andrea Houssin, who plays Brutus, feels up to the task. “Of course it’s challenging - it’s a huge part for any actor,” she said. “Brutus is a person, and I want to get into this person’s skin.” “But Brutus is a fighter. I’m a fighter —I can identify with that.” DAVID COOPER photo Cheyenne Maberiey plays the soothsayer in the Studio 58 production of Julius Caesar, featuring an untraditionally large female cast. Soul Resource: When does need become greed? Studio 58 presents their 12th season of The Risky Night Series, a production completely created by the- atre students By AGUSTINA COCCARO duction of the Risky Nights Series for 2012, Soul Resource, a story of when need becomes greed. The play, which is written, acted and staged by the students of Studio 58, is about two civilizations living side-by- side that discover one of the nations has a resource that the other needs to survive. S" 58 is presenting its first pro- “The story of the play is the coming together of these two different peoples and then figuring out what they have in common,” said Rachel Peake, director of the play and former Studio 58 stu- dent. “It’s how desperate the search for that resource can become.” 15 students have been working long days to put their vision on the stage. “We rehearse six days a week,” said Peake. “Tt’s long hours because the students still go to class during the day and then start rehearsals mid afternoon ... and on the weekends it’s full days,” she add- ed. The Risky Night Series, which is now in its 12th season, is a bridge between the classroom and the main stage. The students have full control of ev- ery aspect of production. “People are familiar with the Risky Nights Series,” said Peake, who is working on her fourth Risky Nights production. “A lot of people like the idea of excit- ing new work from up and coming, emerging artists.” The producers are collaborating with Langara College Artist-in-Resi- dence Samuel Roy-Bois by integrating his installation art piece into the play. His piece Nothing Blank Forever can be seen in the quadrangle outside the student union building. The play will run nightly at 8:15 from Feb. 6 to 11, with an afternoon matinee at 3:15 on Feb. 12 in the Student Union Building. Admission is by donation. 66 It’s how desperate the search for that re- source can become RACHEL PEAKE