Between August 9 and 15, Columbia School of the Arts professor of Film Studies Richard Peña visited the Chilean capital to take part in several programs organized by the Santiago Center in partnership with Universidad Católica (UC), Chilean film editor Andrea Chignoli (MFA'07), and the Jewish Museum of Chile.
Between August 9 and 11, Professor Peña led a film cycle entitled “Anonymous Women of US Cinema,” organized along with UC’s School of Communications, which took place at the university’s movie theater in the city center. The cycle included movies directed by Lois Weber, Ida Lupino and Barbara Loden, three female filmmakers who, overcoming the many obstacles that the industry imposed on women, were able to direct, express their thoughts and world views, leaving their imprints in 20th century cinema.
The following two days, Peña, along with renowned Chilean film editor, member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Columbia alumna, Andrea Chignoli, gathered once again at UC’s School of Communications to teach a camera movement seminar that was attended by over 30 film students from different Chilean universities.
During the afternoon of Sunday, August 14, Peña visited the Jewish Museum of Chile, located in the borough of Lo Barnechea. With the collaboration of the Israeli Circle of Santiago, the Santiago Center and the museum organized the screening of the 1932 Yiddish classic “Uncle Moses.” After the screening of the film directed by Sidney M. Goldin and Aubrey Scotto, the public engaged in a conversation with Peña and Beate Wenker, head of the museum's Education Department.
While in Chile, Peña and the Santiago Center team also visited the Cineteca Nacional, an institution in charge of safeguarding, preserving, and disseminating Chile's cinematographic and audiovisual heritage. There, they met with its director Marcelo Morales to discuss future projects and joint programs and visited the Cineteca’s film archive.
Peña is a member of the Santiago Center’s Faculty Advisory Committee.
