Select films from The Global Film
Initiative’s “Global Lens 2012” film series
will be shown at Kent State University at
Trumbull during the months of November
and December.

The Kent State University at Trumbull Office of Student Activities will present select films from The Global Film Initiative’s “Global Lens 2012” film series during the months of November and December.

The film series — a set of 10 award-winning narrative feature films from Albania, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Iran, Iraq, Morocco, Rwanda and Turkey — will screen selected features at Kent State Trumbull. The entire series will be shown at The Lemon Grove Café in Youngstown.

All screenings are free and open to the public at both locations.

“The lineup this year is really going to surprise audiences,” says Susan Weeks Coulter, board chair of the Global Film Initiative. “The cinematics are strong, the tone is fresh and the stories are thought provoking and unlike anything we’ve seen before.”

“Global Lens 2012” is led by festival heavyweights that include Iranian newcomer Morteza Farshbaf’s darkly comic road trip, Mourning (FIPRESCI Prize and New Currents Award, 2011 Pusan IFF); Paula Markovitch’s picturesque and beautifully acted Argentine political drama, The Prize (Silver Bear, 2011 Berlin IFF and Best Film, 2011 Morelia IFF); and Pegasus (Golden Stallion, 2011 FESPACO and Best Cinematographer, 2010 Dubai IFF)—Mohamed Mouftakir’s atmospheric psychological thriller about tribes and tradition in present-day Morocco.

The series also features four critically acclaimed films by first-time directors, including Gustavo Pizzi’s colorful rendering of artistic angst and ego in Rio de Janeiro, Craft (Best Actress, 2010 Rio de Janeiro IFF); Carlos Osuna’s charming Colombian rotoscope, Fat, Bald, Short Man (Official Selection, 2011 Chicago IFF); Tolga Karaçelik’s acclaimed Turkish “everyman” story, Toll Booth (Best First Film and Best Actor, 2010 International Antalya Golden Orange Film FF); and Grey Matter (Best Actor and Special Jury Mention, 2011 Tribeca FF), the first feature-length narrative film from Rwanda to be directed by a native Rwandan (Kivu Ruhorahoza).

The 2012 lineup is rounded out by Bujar Alimani’s sensitive chronicle of life and love in the Albanian prison system, Amnesty (Official Albania Submission, 84th Academy Awards; FIPRESCI Prize and Cineuropa Prize, 2011 Festival del Cinema Europeo); Oday Rasheed’s moody Baghdad portrait of an assassin and his relationship with a troubled family, Qarantina (Official Selection, 2010 Abu Dhabi FF); and Sergio Teubal’s offbeat yet true-to-life fable of small town politics and finger-pointing, The Finger (Best First Feature Film, 2011 Guadalajara IFF).

Global Lens, now in its ninth season, premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in January before embarking on its yearlong tour that includes full series screenings and festival presentations in more than 50 cities across the United States and Canada.

Click here to see show times for all films.