Department of Modern Languages

Cinema International Essay Contest

Award:

$500 Credit towards a KIIS Study Abroad Program

Eligibility:

This competition is open to any Murray State University student who is eligible to study abroad within the 2010 calendar year.

Challenge:

Selecting one or two films presented in the Spring or Fall 2009 Cinema International showings, analyze the movie(s) in terms of one of the following questions, developing a clear, interesting, original response in an essay of 1250-1600 words (fulfilling format guidelines below):

How do(es) the film(s) you have selected illustrate that imagination can cross cultural and linguistic boundaries?

What features of the film(s) you have selected convey the influence of culture on people's values or behavior?

How do(es) the film(s) you have selected remind audiences that a particular problem or need deserves global attention?

Why should Americans view the film(s) you have selected?

What kind(s) of cultural conflict(s) are presented in the selected film(s) and in what way is conflict dealt with? How does the cinematic presentation of cultural conflict compare to similar situations in the US?

How do(es) the film(s) you selected demonstrate which liberties and rights are most important or inviolable within the culture(s)? What specific values, behaviors, words, ideas are portrayed in this?

Evaluation:

A committee of faculty film-goers will select the winning essay for its superior demonstration;

a thoughtful engagement with the selected film;

the ability to articulate a thesis-a clear, compelling, original response to a selected question;

skill in organizing and developing a thesis using relevant evidence from the film;

respect for the conventions of academic writing.

Readers will evaluate each essay according to the following:

Criteria	Possible Points
Extent to which the essay articulates a clear, precise, interesting, and original thesis-an answer to the selected question:	25
Extent to which the essay provides support of the thesis in unified, well-developed, coherent paragraphs and a logical organization of ideas:	25
Extent to which the essay develops key ideas with appropriate, accurate evidence from the selected film, convincingly explained:	25
Extent to which this essay demonstrates original insight, presented in an engaging voice:	15
Extent to which this essay reflects careful editing for grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.	10

Format:

Your finished essay should be saved as a MICROSOFT WORD (or rich-text format) document between 1250-1600 words long, double-spaced, using a standard type font, 11 to 12 point in size, with pages set up in portrait with margins approximately 1" on all sides. The first page of text should begin with your title, centered on the top line; unless your title includes material quoted from another work, you should neither underline nor italicize it, nor should you place it in quotation marks. Please do not indicate your name on any pages. Instead, repeat a short form of your title in the upper right header, followed by the page number, and preface your submission with the cover sheet below.

Submission Deadline:

Deliver your essay (following specified format guidelines) as an attachment e-mailed to reika.ebert@murraystate.edu no later than December 1, 2009 at 4:00 p.m..

Cover Sheet:

Essay title
Question to which this essay responds
Cinema International Films Analyzed
Essay author's name
Local phone number
E-mail address
Prospective KIIS study abroad program/program dates

Checked and signed statement of authorship

Department of Modern Languages
4A Faculty Hall
Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky 42071

Phone: 270.809.2501
Fax: 270.809.3161

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