Journalism students connect with award-winning documentary filmmaker
NU-Q serves as platform for dialogue on important issues for Qatar and the region
NU-Q advances Qatar Foundation's mission to unlock human potential, educating the next generation of media professionals
Doha, Qatar: Northwestern University in Qatar will explore different community responses to breast cancer when it hosts the Middle East premier of the award-winning documentary 'In the Family' on Tuesday, March 16th.
'In the Family' is a documentary about a young woman facing breast cancer, by Director and Producer Joanna Rudnick. The film explores the life-saving potential of genetic testing in the battle against breast cancer, and the response of different communities to the disease.
It has been received with critical acclaim, winning a 2010 FORCE "Spirit of Empowerment Award" for its contribution to educating and supporting the cancer community. While it has been shown internationally, this will be the first screening in the region.
Rudnick, who has a background in health journalism and teaches documentary television at Northwestern's campus in the United States, is using the University as a platform to raise awareness about breast cancer and address the stigma attached to the disease.
"I am thrilled to be here at NU-Q in Doha to open up the dialogue around breast cancer, particularly in the Middle East where it raises a lot of interest. My goal, through education and awareness, is to give people a safe place to talk about the issues and help other women to open up about their experiences and fears," Rudnick said.
"It is a particularly interesting time to be showing the film in Qatar. I think Qatari women can set a powerful example for breast cancer by leading the effort".
Rudnick's visit signals NU-Q's ongoing commitment to prepare its students for the opportunities facing them as future media professionals by connecting them with experts in the field.
Richard Roth, the senior associate dean for journalism at NU-Q, said, "day in and day out our students are exposed to excellent faculty members right here in Doha, but there's never too much of a good thing: We are always looking around the world for talent like Joanna Rudnick to come spend a day or, in her case, a week with our students to supplement their learning, to give them that edge, that advantage that other students may not get."
The screening comes as NU-Q students prepare to show their own documentary on breast cancer in Qatar on Monday March 15th. Titled "Breast Cancer in Qatar: Journeys of Fighters, Survivors, and Victims", the documentary focuses on the experiences of women with breast cancer in Qatar, and has been submitted to the Al Jazeera Documentary Film Festival competition. The documentary is one of several produced by the second-year journalism students as part of their Visual Journalism class.
"I am particularly excited about meeting the students and seeing their 'Breast Cancer in Qatar' documentary," said Rudnick. "Having already spoken to one or two, there are clearly some very bright stars here at NU-Q."
Along with the film screening, Rudnick will also meet with NU-Q's students throughout the week and teach them the techniques of documentary making.
The screening will be held on Tuesday, March 16, in the Carnegie Mellon Building, Education City. The evening will begin with a reception at 6 pm followed by the film screening at 7 pm. A discussion with the filmmaker will follow the screening. For more information, visit: www.qatar.northwestern.edu. The student documentary will be shown at noon on Monday.
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About Northwestern University in Qatar
Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) is an international offspring of one of America's top-ranked educational institutions. NU-Q offers curricula modeled on the innovative undergraduate programs of Northwestern University's School of Communication and Medill School of Journalism in the U.S. The communication program offers courses of study in the areas of communication theory, history and media technologies; the fully accredited journalism program offerings include concentrations in print, broadcast and multimedia. Courses in Qatar are taught by scholars and practitioners who hold faculty appointments in and have had first-hand experience on the home campus in Evanston, Ill., a north-shore suburb of Chicago.
For further information, contact:
Robert W. Ferrin
Director of Marketing
Northwestern University in Qatar
Tel: +974 454 5141
Mobile: +974 670 8991
Email: r-ferrin@northwestern.edu
Press Release 2010
