Amherst College Event Calendar   Academic Year at a Glance

The film "Die Könige der Nutzholzgewinnung" ("Lumber Kings") will be showing at 4 and 7:30 p.m. In this charming comedy, charismatic loser Krischan sets out to salvage his East German hometown from the doldrums by planning to hold a lumberjack competition there. Will he succeed in overcoming the massive resistance of the less-than-enthusiastic locals?

Movies by Wim Wenders, Terry Gilliam and Jacques Tati are featured in a free film series at Amherst College’s Fayerweather Hall. The Western Massachusetts American Institute of Architects (WMAIA) is sponsoring the series, titled “Architecture through Film – a Conversation about the Built Environment.” The series grew out of the WMAIA’s mission to educate, inform, and create an ongoing open dialogue with the Pioneer Valley community about architecture and design. The series begins on Oct. 22 with “Play Time” by Jacques Tati and continues on Nov. 12 with “Wings of Desire” by Wim Wenders and on Dec. 3 with Terry Gilliam’s “Brazil.” The series will be moderated by Thom Long, Five College Assistant Professor of Architectural Studies and co-director of the Five College Architectural Studies Program. Each film will also be presented by a guest speaker from the Western Mass Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Five College Architectural Studies Program. Series originator and architect Erica Gees says, “Through film’s subjective vision, we gain a poetic interpretation and critical understanding of the active - and passive - role that architecture plays in our lives. By working with perspective, light, acoustic resonance, voice and music, film offers us a critical and artistic tool to understand the power of design.” The film series is a long-held dream for Ms. Gees, who has been instrumental in obtaining grant funding to study sustainable design in the Pioneer Valley and the greater United States, including Hawaii; she is also highly active in the AIA at the national level. The public film series and discussion will seek to answer some of these questions: How do we experience architecture today? What is our built environment telling us about ourselves and how we live as a society? Can film further inform our understanding of the built environment and how it impacts our lives? All film screenings will take place at Pruyne Lecture Hall at 6:30 p.m. All films are free and open to the public. For further information about this film series, please contact: Erica Gees AI, Kuhn Riddle Architects Amherst, MA (413) 259-1630 x17 egees@kuhnriddle.com

"The Mistakes Madeline Made," by Elizabeth Meriwether, will be directed by Peter Lobdell. Edna is working for a company devoted to taking care of a hugely wealthy family. We follow Edna’s interactions with her boss and another rather eccentric employee. At the same time, we learn that Edna’s brother was a journalist who has died in Iraq. "The Mistakes Madeline Made" is an existential comedy about survivor guilt and a moving testimonial to the power of affection. The title doesn’t refer to any character, but rather to an article by Dr. Joyce Brothers, “What Every Woman Ought to Know About Love and Marriage.” There is open seating, and no reservations are required. Call the Box Office at 413-542-2277.

Take a break with art, music and food! Presented by the Mead Art Museum Docents with special guests Route 9.