Provocate in July

July is the heart of summer and if you have any time between vacations, weddings and outdoor activities, Provocate is offering a series of discussions on some of the most important issues facing Indiana and the world today.  Everyone is welcome and invited to join in the conversation!

July 15-25 is the 7th Indianapolis International Film Festival and in conjunction with the festival, Provocate will facilitate conversations that go beyond the excellent movies that will be shown at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  Working with the Indianapolis International Film Festival, Provocate selected half a dozen films that powerfully illuminate some of the most critical issues we face: racism and poverty, religious conflicts and torn cultural identities.

• Read previews of the films at www.provocate.org … and learn about local groups working to solve problems addressed by the film
• Watch the movies at the Indianapolis Museum of Art … and discover the world in the dark
• Stay for a discussion with filmmakers, experts and passionate activists at IMA’s Nourish Café … and be prepared to participate, innovate, and provocate

Featured films:

• Friday, July 16 5:15 p.m. “When I Rise” Come to see how Barbara Smith Conrad emerged from civil rights crisis to become one of the world’s great mezzo-sopranos … stay to discuss with members of Indianapolis Opera and the ISO whether race matters for music today.
• Saturday, July 17 6:45 p.m. “The Taqwacores” Come to watch the tension between Islamic spirituality and hardcore punk music culture … stay to discuss with local young Muslims how they handle the balance between taqwa (“God-consciousness”) and American popular culture.
• Tuesday, July 20 9:15 PM “Amanda” A forty-year-old guy unexpectedly finds marital bliss, until he discovers his new wife once was a dude. Come to see the biggest budget film made in Indiana in twenty years … stay to talk with director/producer Steve Marra about the present and future of Hoosier filmmaking.
• Wednesday, July 21 6:45 p.m. “Wo ai ni mommy [I love you Mommy]” A poignant and honest documentary about an American family who adopts an eight-year-old Chinese girl. Come to learn about the cultural obstacles that can disrupt even the most loving of intentions … stay to discuss how Indianapolis families are helping their adopted children from China be at home in both cultures.
• Friday, July 23 5 p.m. “Only When I Dance” Two Brazilian kids from the poorest neighborhood in Rio sacrifice to fulfill their dreams of dancing ballet with the top North American companies. Come to see whether the pursuit of artistic excellence can overcome dismal poverty … stay to discuss many groups in Indy who are helping poor kids hear reach their dreams of greatness in music and art.
• Saturday, July 24 noon “11/4/08” Twenty filmmakers around the world share their videos of November 4, 2008, when Barack Obama was elected president. Come relive images and sounds of that historic day … stay to discuss how the rest of the world views Obama’s presidency.

If you’re looking for other free and thought-provoking fun, look no further than “Global Local Indiana,” a series of community conversations about Indiana’s relation to the world. Conversations will be held at the Indiana Interchurch Center (1100 W. 42nd St.); the exception will be a grandly unconventional discussion of the arts put on by IndyTalks, the Indianapolis Art Council, and Primary Colors at the Athenaeum (401 E. Michigan St.) on July 22.

Indiana students take on the world

July 15, 7 p.m. at the Indiana Interchurch Center — a screening and discussion of the critically acclaimed film, Two Million Minutes, which compares how time is spent by students in China, India and Carmel IN. It forces us to ask what we are willing to sacrifice culturally to compete economically.

Do the arts matter for globalization?

July 22, 6 p.m. at the Athenaeum — the next session of the exciting IndyTalks series, “Are you a smARTy?” In an engaging mock game-show format, some of the city’s leading cultural figures will lead the audience in an exploration of what the arts mean for our future.

The ethics of globalized consumption

July 29, 7 p.m. at the Interchurch Center — Kelsey Timmerman, author of the popular and humorous book, Where Am I Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes, asks how our consumption contributes to — and perhaps can help reduce — global poverty.

Global/Local Indiana: The Challenges We Face

August 5, 7 p.m. at the Interchurch Center — SPEA graduate students will organize a great ending for the series of community conversations … which should spark even more discussions in the future.