Films: Holiday Celebration — KAWANSAA (1993) and THE LITTLE THEATRE OF JEAN RENOIR (1970)

KWANSAA, color, 30 minutes. Directed by Harry Vaughn, 1993. Presented by Ademola Ekuloma.

Presents the African-American principles, practices, and traditions of Kwanzaa, a harvest festival observed December 26 through January 1. Originally created in 1966 as a black nationalist alternative to Christmas, the history, symbols, gifts, values, and celebration of this holiday are explored.

THE LITTLE THEATRE OF JEAN RENOIR, color, 100 mintues. Directed by Jean Renoir, 1970. In French with English subtitles. Originally made for and broadcast on French televsion.

Four vignettes (three stories and a song) compose Renoir's last cinematic effort and represent the director's varied film styles. 1.) The Last Christmas Eve- In this contemporary fairy tale, a group of wealthy revelers hire a beggar to stand before them as they eat a lavish dinner. The mendicant takes home the sumptuous leftovers to his wife, and the two re-live extravagant fantasies.  2.) The Electric Floorwaxer- Described by the director as an opera about man versus the machine, this musical farce focuses on a housewife's obsession with her parquet floor and her new electric floorwaxer. 3.) La Belle Epoque- Jeanne Moreau, in period dress, sings "When love dies," a sentimental song that mocks 20th-century veneration and nostalgia for the last years of 19th-century France. 4.) The King of Yvetot- This comedy with a surprise ending tells the story of an older man, his young, seductive wife, and her lover.

ADMISSION FREE