You (probably) Haven't Seen This Before - American Parasites

Dive deep into the archival collections of IU Libraries through a screening series of rare and unique archival films that center traditionally underrepresented narratives and underrepresented motion-picture practices, pushing on and expanding the spectrum of what is considered "cinema." In an effort to keep audiences open-minded and with limited pre-conceptions of these rare works of celluloid, descriptions of films to be shown will not be shared prior to screenings. Join us based on announced themes and the expectation that the works you see will fall outside of Hollywood tropes, outside of mainstream commercial expectations, and outside of conventional filmmaking practices. Trust us, you (probably) haven't seen these films before!October Program: American Parasites curated by Andrea M. SterlingProgram Description: This program invites the viewer to consider the practice of parasitism; a primary mechanism influencing structural antagonisms that have undergirded race relations in America from the past through the present. The two short films encourage the audience to question their current understandings of race relations, the exploitation of Black labor, and the ways in which that labor has acted as invisible foundations in the practice of White cultural production.Curator Bio: Andrea M. Sterling is a Bloomington transplant by way of Providence, Rhode Island, originally moving here for graduate school and eventually planting roots. Facilitation is in her heart, body, and soul—whether that's in a traditional classroom, a poetry night in a dimly lit bar, or contracted workshops across the country as a DEI/Transformative Justice consultant. She has co-organized the Bloomington Poetry Slam for the last 9 years, facilitates writing circles with Women Writing for a Change, and mixes up tasty elixirs at the Uptown Café. As a graduate student in African-American and African Diaspora Studies, Andrea's focus centered around constructions of race relations in America, the ideological mechanics of White Supremacy and Anti-Blackness, and the power of a radical love ethic in building strong communities and liberated futures. She continues to carry these themes into her creative and facilitation work today.Please register below! Advance registration is strongly encouraged and deeply appreciated!