Film and Speaker Series to host ‘Hostiles’ for their final event of the semester
University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Film and Speaker Series will present “Hostiles” April 28 at 7 p.m. This is the last film of the semester and the director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice program, William Powers, instructor in history, will lead the discussion for the film.
The film is set in 1892 when United States Cavalry Captain and war hero Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) is ordered to escort Cheyenne Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) and his family back to Montana. Along the way, Blocker is joined by widowed settler Rosalie Quaid (Rosamund Pike) and is forced to face the harsh reality of the American territory and a group of Comanche hostiles set on war.
Andrew Reitberger, director of Student Life, said the film is an updated version of the traditional western because it is not the typical good versus bad storyline.
“Sonia [Hernandez] wanted to present this film because it shows a different perspective from the traditional old-school western film,” Reitberger said. “Westerns have been a genre for long-time. As we progress through history, we have learned more and films have adapted to show that.”
Every semester, the Film and Speaker Series shows multiple films that highlight specific social issues. With each film shown, a speaker will discuss an issue raised by the film, either before or after the screening.
The Film and Speaker Series’ website states that “films presented in the UHCL Film and Speaker Series not only provide entertainment but also address relevant issues in the world today.”
“We want to show movies that people want to talk about,” Reitberger said. “We want to extend the dialogue. We choose a speaker who has knowledge of the subject [the film covers]. We want to expand the movie-going experience.”
The speaker helps guide the discussion by targeting certain aspects of the film or themes within the film.
“Any film we show, we hope to extend the dialogue [by] potentially [sparking] critical thinking, starting debate and just having people talk about the film,” Reitberger said.
“Hostiles” first screened at the 2017 Telluride Film Festival. Telluride Film Festival Executive Director Julie Huntsinger said in a press release that by including “Hostiles” in the line-up, the film honors diversity and culture.
“Telluride Film Festival has long been a platform for films from many different cultures and backgrounds that celebrate diversity,” Huntsinger said in the press release. “We feel it’s more important than ever to promote the unique and beautiful differences that exist in the world.
The film will be shown in the Student Services and Classroom Building Lecture Hall April 28 at 7 p.m. The event is free for those with a UHCL ID and without one, the cost is $4.
