Graduate Students' Union

This year's 2007 Aldrich Interdisciplinary Conference will feature a daily film dose by student filmmakers at MUN.

Saturday March 3rd, 2:00pm, Business 3007

"The Value of Education: A Case for Lowering Post-Secondary Tuition Fees" by Alanna Felt, Keagan Schopfer, and Adam Reid

In late 2006 and early 2007, these filmakers took to the streets to get the opinions of students, professors, and elected officials about the

current state of post-secondary funding in Newfoundland and Labrador. "The Value of Education: A Case for Lowering Post Secondary Tuition Fees" sets out to inform the viewer about the realities of the financial challenges students face in this province today. The three main topics of discussion in the film include the structure of post-secondary education funding, the battle against tuition fee hikes, and the debtloads that students face upon graduation. Key interviees include Dr. Wade Locke, Dr. Stephen Curtis, Provincial Minister of Education Joan Burke, and NDP Leader Lorraine Micheals.

Sunday March 4th, 3:30pm, Business 3010

"Beauty in the Breakdown: Becoming Undone and Healing Through the Autobiographical Documentary" by Kelly Hickey, Women's Studies

Through out feminism, the women's movement and women's studies in the last few decades, there have been great divides between differing camps, each critiquing one another sometimes without much constructive gain. Judith Butler has taught us to look into our common humanness as a background to grow, learn and initiate change. She also writes about the one thing all people experience and share: loss.

Inspired by the need to "become undone" in order to change and heal myself and beyond, I dove into my own loss and created a short film documentary which has caused many positive changes in my own life and beyond. The documentary was a medium, which allowed me to explore my past, my hurts and my story. Through this technology I was permitted to share my narrative begin to heal myself while it gave me hope for my future.

However, by sharing my experiences, my losses, it also gave permission for those around me to share their stories and losses. This created a moment, a place in space and time for collective healing and raw humanness. Stories of bulimia, criminal brothers, friend's suicides and more have all come pouring out from people across disciplines, political backgrounds and classes. Bearing witness to one another's loss and pain has reaffirmed and deepened my connections to each person that has watched my film.

However, most importantly, in this project, I have discovered the power and beauty in sharing stories so we can help each other heal help the women's movement heal and cause real positive change with ripple effects though out the world.