Media, Manipulation, and the Demise of Public Discourse
Our community enrichment cinema course continues in spring 2025. Participants will watch and discuss four movies focusing on the portrayal of mental health in film.
Each class session will include a pre-screening lecture followed by a showing of the film. Afterward, audience members will engage in conversation about the content events featured, the ways directors presented the subjects, and cinematic techniques used that may answer some questions while raising others.
Each class begins at 6:00 p.m. in Morgan Auditorium at Penn State Schuylkill’s Student Community Center.
Cost: $30 for community members
Free for Penn State Schuylkill students, faculty and staff members (see campus newsletter for details)
Film Schedule
Monday, April 7, 2025
Gothika
(Mathieu Kassovitz, 2003)
After a car crash, a psychiatrist (Halle Berry) wakes up in a women's penitentiary and learns she's being held for her husband's murder. Miranda swears she's innocent, but is haunted by terrifying visions of a blond girl, images that may hold a key to the mystery.
Meet the instructor
This course is taught by Dr. D.J. Higgins, assistant teaching professor of film/video and music at Penn State Schuylkill. Dr. Higgins earned the Doctor of Philosophy in Modern Languages from Middlebury College and is an active filmmaker, having directed, written, and produced several award-winning short films.
For more community events at Penn State Schuylkill, check out the programming at Art Space.
