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North Central launches independent film series

North Central College will screen a number of culturally significant films for students and community members during its inaugural series, “Film Central: The Best in Independent Film.”

Film Central is sponsored by the Naperville school’s Offices of International Programs, Fine and Performing Arts, The Union and the Naperville Independent Film Festival. Sponsors hope to increase support for independent films and raise awareness about issues captured by filmmakers.

“Film is one of the most important art forms today,” said Richard Guzman, coordinator of the film series and North Central professor of English and coordinator of the master in liberal studies program.

“For many years, various professors and students have talked about how important a film series would be both for our campus and the whole Naperville community.”

Guzman says independent films generally don’t have big studios or budgets behind them but are worth supporting because independent film is where directors, stars and everyone associated with film are born.

“For example,” he said, “one film we’ll be showing in the series ... ‘Sympathetic Details,’ is the first feature by Benjamin Busch, who is currently with HBO’s acclaimed TV show ‘The Wire.’”

The films will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in the theater at Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville. Tickets are $3 and available at the door the evening of screenings. Call the North Central College Box Office at (630) 637-SHOW or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix.

Dates and films of the inaugural Film Central series are:

Feb. 3: “Sympathetic Details,” a 2008 film directed by Benjamin Busch, is a psychological thriller that uses character and dialogue instead of action sequences to tell the story of an assassin who makes a moral decision to leave his life of professional murder. Rated R.

Feb. 17: “Runways & Bunk Beds,” a 2010 film based on a true story, was written and directed by former international model Axel Harney and tells the story of a male model whose charmed life is disrupted. Rated R.

March 1: “An Evening of Short Films” presents a number of shorts, ranging from serious to silly and featuring a variety of genres.

March 4: “Wretches and Jabberers,” directed by Gerardine Wurzburg, is about two men with autism who embark on a global quest to change attitudes about disability and intelligence.

Founded in 1861, North Central College is celebrating its Sesquicentennial in 2011. The film series is one of many ongoing programs at the school to enrich and broaden the academic and cultural outlook for the community and the College.

For a comprehensive schedule of lectures, art exhibits, musical performances, theatrical productions and other events, visit northcentralcollege.edu/show.