Lecturer’s Film on Immigrant Latino Children to be Screened

As part of DePaul University’s Centennial Laureate speakers’ series and celebration, the "Celebración de Nuestra América" will present internationally known Chilean author and human rights activist Ariel Dorfman Jan. 29, in Corteylou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont, at 7 p.m. His keynote address is entitled, "Can the Center be Colonized from the Margins? A Journey from Santiago to Broadway and Hollywood."

Dorfman is currently the Walter Hines Page Research Professor of Literature and Latin American Studies at Duke University. A writer of poetry, short stories and novels, Dorfman is, perhaps, still best known in Latin America for his groundbreaking study on cultural imperialism: "How to Read Donald Duck," published in 1971 in collaboration with Armand Mattlelart. His most recent book is "Heading South, Looking North: A Bilingual Journey."

In 1997, Dorfman addressed the United Nations General Assembly for World Press Freedom Day and was a keynote speaker at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he and his son, Rodrigo, debuted their short film, " My House Is On Fire." The film, which tells the story of two small illegal immigrant Latino children facing the terror of arrest and deportation, will be shown at DePaul Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. in Schmitt Academic Center, 2320 N. Kenmore, Room 154. A discussion of the film, led by Dorfman, will follow immediately.

"Ariel Dorfman is a global human rights activist and Chilean exile who has established himself as one of the greatest Latin American storytellers of our time," said Sylvia Tandeciarz, assistant professor of Spanish and co-coordinator of the event.

DePaul’s "Celebración de Nuestra América" is an annual series of cultural events coordinated through the Department of Modern Languages. This year’s program focus is colonialism and neo-colonialism, which will be explored in the context of the 100^th anniversary of the Spanish American War. Dorfman’s is the third in a series of public lectures by nationally known thinkers who have been chosen as Centennial Laureates by DePaul. The laureate lectures are part of the university’s yearlong commemoration of its 100^th anniversary.

The lecture and film screening are free and open to the public. For more information, call Silvia Tandeciarz at 773/325-1883.