Charles Wright’s Upper School students have organized the school’s first Clubs Film Festival on Friday, November 21.  The Gay-Straight Alliance and Diversity Club took the lead role in organizing the event and seven clubs are participating as film sponsors.  The student organizers hope that this multi-club event will appeal to a wide audience of students and parents. 

The schedule for the evening is as follows:
5:45 Snacks for sale — popcorn, pizza, candy and soda
6:00 Showing 1
7:45 Intermission — food sales and a show by the improv troupe
8:15 Showing 2

The films for the first showing are:

Wag the Dog, sponsored by the Young Republicans Club
Robert DeNiro stars as a Washington spinmaster who needs a war to distract public’s attention from a sex scandal involving the President. Dustin Hoffman received an Academy Award nomination for his role in this biting political satire. Directed by: Barry Levinson.  Starring: Woody Harrelson, James Belushi, Denis Leary, Anne Heche, Catherine O’Hara, Craig T. Nelson, Dustin Hoffman, Harland Williams, John Michael Higgins, Kirsten Dunst, Robert De Niro, William H. Macy, and Willie Nelson.  This 1997 film is rated R.

‘Bama Girl, sponsored by Diversity Club
‘Bama Girl follows a charismatic black woman’s quest to become the 2005 Homecoming Queen at the University of Alabama, one of the great Deep South institutions. Homecoming has a rich history there, tied into centuries of privilege, old money, and racial exclusivity. The film follow Jessica Thomas’ campaign for Queen, running against not only 15 other co-eds, but a strictly segregated Greek system, internal black politics, and, most ominously, a secret all-white association called ‘The Machine’ that has been controlling politics at the University for most of the past century. This is a film about the light and the dark sides of tradition – and a fascinating parable for the electoral politics that affect our country everyday. Directed by Rachel Goslins.  Winner of eight film festival awards.  This 2008 film is not rated.

An Inconvenient Truth, sponsored by the Environmental Club
An Inconvenient Truth focuses on Al Gore and his travels in support of his efforts to educate the public about the severity of the climate crisis.  The film closely follows a Keynote presentation (dubbed “the slide show”) that Gore presented throughout the world. It intersperses Gore’s exploration of data and predictions regarding climate change and its potential for disaster with Gore’s life story. Directed by Davis Guggenheim.  Winner of two Oscars and 21 other awards.  This 2006 film is rated PG.

The films for the second showing are:

Philadelphia, sponsored by GSA
Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer infected with AIDS, is fired from his conservative law firm in fear that they might contract AIDS from him. After Andrew is fired, in a last attempt for peace, he sues his former law firm with the help of a homophobic lawyer, Joe Miller. During the court battle, Miller sees that Beckett is no different than anyone else on the gritty streets of the city of brotherly love, sheds his homophobia and helps Beckett with his case before AIDS overcomes him.  Directed by Jonathan Demme.  Starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.  This 1993 film is rated PG-13.

The Forbidden Kingdom, sponsored by Chinese Club
An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself traveling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.  Directed by Rob Minkoff.  Starring Jet Li, Michael Angarano and Jackie Chan.  This 2008 film is rated PG-13.

21, co-sponsored by the Math Club and the Gaming Club
Ben Campbell is a young, highly intelligent, student at M.I.T. can’t afford the tuition to transfer to Harvard School of Medicine and become a doctor until his unorthodox math professor introduces him to a small but secretive club of students learning to count cards at blackjack.   Directed by Robert Luketic.  Starring Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth.  This 2008 film is rated PG-13.