Tuesday, December 14, 2010

NPS e-Week Dec 2010

So this week is what they call “e-week” at Naval Post Graduate School. The ‘e’ stands for enrichment, which is basically a week to cure a finals hangover. Just kidding.. they offer different workshops and seminars. I attended a Google API seminar this morning and attended two film seminars this week as well.

The two films that were featured and ones that you may want to check out:

La Vida Loca (2008)

Directed by Christian Poveda in 2008. The film maker was killed making a follow up in 2009. The documentary is pretty raw and uncut. The one I watched didn't have subtitles or over-dub, we had a fellow student who spoke Spanish providing commentary in the audience.

The film is pretty raw and uncut. No music, no narration, no real story line... just a snap shot in to gang life in El Salvador. Gangs have been growing as a result of the civil war that occurred 20 years ago. I am not an expert on the subject, but something went down where a number of people where sent to the United States (L.A.) and then returned to El Salvador and ultimately planted the seed for gang violence in El Savador.

The Yacoubian Building (2006)

This is a long film (2hr 45min) about the current state of Cairo, Egypt. In the beginning of the last century Cairo was on par with cities like Paris. In 2010 it is a city that is struggling. This film is based on a Novel of the same name. It explores various factors that have contributed to Cairo's (and Egypt's) "fall from grace".

That's all for now.

-D

0 comments: