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Reading Together films shown Thursday

March 7, 2006

KALAMAZOO--Two films about the Vietnam War and its aftermath will be shown beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9, in the Little Theatre at Western Michigan University. The program is free and open to the public.

Dr. Edwin Martini, WMU professor of history, is presenting the films as part of this year's Kalamzoo Reading Together Program, which features Tim O'Brien's novel "The Things They Carried," a series of short stories about the men of Alpha Company during the Vietnam War.

The first film shown, "Rising Above: The Women of Vietnam," tells the stories of several Vietnamese women who fought for their country's independence only to later find some of what they fought for slipping away in the reconstruction and political and economic transformations of Vietnam.

The second film, "Gao Rang," or "Grilled Rice" tells the mostly unknown stories of North Vietnamese filmmakers who recorded the wars against the French and Americans from the ground. Most of the footage in "Gao Rang" had not been seen outside Vietnam until the file was made.

The Little Theatre is located at the corner of Oakland Drive and Oliver Street on Western Michigan University's East Campus. There is free off-street parking behind the theatre.

For more information about the March 9 films, contact Edwin Martini at edwin.martini@wmich.edu. Go to www.readingtogether.us for information about Kalamazoo Reading Together.

Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

WMU News
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