Why He Prefers Women Protagonists in His Novels

Elizabeth Floyd Mair of the Times Union talks with Chris Bohjalian (who visits Thursday) about Sandcastles Girls, his novel of the Armenian genocide, based partly on stories from his own family.

In the interview, Bohjalian talks about why he prefers women protagonists in his novels:

I find your gender a lot more interesting than mine — more willing to take emotional risks and more communicative. I think the only reason golf was invented was so that men would talk to each other.

When I write across gender, I begin with the universals — what unites us as human beings, not what makes us different as women and men. Then, as my characters develop, they find their own behavioral idiosyncrasies and quirks. Sometimes they're gender-specific, but not always.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/living/article/Sandcastle-Girls-is-a-personal-tale-4445861.php#ixzz2RIfgEYmU

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Roger Ebert on Kinyarwanda

"I thought I knew something about Rwanda, but I didn't really know very much. I was moved by Hotel Rwanda (2004), but not really shaken this deeply. Not like this.... Here is a powerful film."

Full review by Roger Ebert:  http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20111130%2FREVIEWS%2F111139995

Kinyarwanda will be screened 9/28, 7:30pm at Page Hall, followed by a Q&A with Rwandan star actress Hadidja Zaninka and producer Darren Dean.

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A Rare Privilege for Writers Institute Audiences

Hadidja Zaninka, star of Kinyarwanda, a film that won the Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Audience Award, will be in attendance at our screening of the film.

She herself has seen the film only once before (despite being the star) because access to the film is strictly limited in Rwanda.

Albany is the first stop on her US road trip.

This is also her first trip out to the US and (the filmmakers believe but haven't confirmed) her first trip out of southern Africa. It was difficult for her to obtain a visa, despite the success of the film which has won many international awards. Obtaining a visa required a direct appeal to the President of Rwanda.

More on the film:  http://www.kinyarwandamovie.com/

More on the event: 
KINYARWANDA
September 28 (Friday)Film screening — 7:30 p.m., Page Hall, 135 Western Avenue, Downtown Campus
Written and directed by Alrick Brown
(United States, Rwanda, France, 2011, 100 minutes, color)
In English and Kinyarwanda with English subtitles

Winner of the World Cinema Audience award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, KINYARWANDA is based on the heroic true story of local Muslim clergy who risked their lives to save both Tutsi and pacifist Hutu—Christians as well as Muslims—during the Rwandan genocide. In a four star review, Roger Ebert said, “Here is a powerful film.”

NOTE: The film’s producer Darren Dean and leading Rwandan actress Hadidja Zaninka will answer questions immediately after the screening.

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Rwandan Actress to Visit US for first time

Dear Filmgoers and All Members of the General Public,

We invite you to attend the following FREE event:

KINYARWANDA catered reception, film screening and Q&A with Rwandan actress Hadidja Zaninka and producer Darren Dean

 

After a prolonged period of uncertainty and a direct appeal to the President of Rwanda, Hadidja Zaninka (pictured here), a young Rwandan Muslim and star of the award-winning film Kinyarwanda, was finally granted permission to visit the US. Based on fact, the film highlights the heroism of Rwanda’s Muslim minority in saving lives during the genocide. The first event of Hadidja’s road trip with American producer Darren Dean will be here in Albany. She will be arriving in the US Thursday and speaking here Friday. This is her first visit to the US. Because access to the film is controlled in Rwanda, she has viewed it only once before. She may choose to sit through it here to have the experience of seeing it with an American audience. The filmmakers have tried to get her an exit visa before to no avail.

September 28 (Friday)

Catered reception – 6:30 p.m., Page Hall, 135 Western Avenue, Downtown Campus

Film screening — 7:30 p.m., Page Hall, 135 Western Avenue, Downtown Campus

Written and directed by Alrick Brown

(United States, Rwanda, France, 2011, 100 minutes, color)

In English and Kinyarwanda with English subtitles

Winner of the World Cinema Audience award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, KINYARWANDA is based on the heroic true story of local Muslim clergy who risked their lives to save both Tutsi and pacifist Hutu—Christians as well as Muslims—during the Rwandan genocide. In a four star review, Roger Ebert said, “Here is a powerful film.”

NOTE: The film’s producer Darren Dean and leading Rwandan actress Hadidja Zaninka (pictured here) will answer questions immediately after the screening.

The film is part of the Justice & Multiculturalism in the 21st Century Film Series: Justice & Multiculturalism in the 21st Century is a multifaceted project aimed at engaging conversations about the intersection of social justice and criminal justice in an increasingly diverse society. UAlbany’s School of Criminal Justice and the Writers Institute are partnering to present six films over the next year that will explore these issues. Topics that will be explored during the fall 2012 series are genocide, capital punishment, and terrorism. Each screening will be followed by a discussion. For additional information on the Justice & Multiculturalism in the 21st Century project go to: http://www.albany.edu/justiceinstitute/.

Some additional information:

http://www.kinyarwandamovie.com/  

For more information contact the Writers Institute at writers@albany.edu or 442-5620.

 

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