An excellent discussion film for college bound students, this thoughtful documentary captures the alienation, prejudice and insecurity that often confront African American students at predominantly white institutions. After the initial excitement of being accepted to the college of his choice, eighteen-year-old George is confronted with reality. His freshman year is filled with unanticipated academic, social and cultural barriers as Harvard reveals many of its shortcomings as an elite academic institution and George discovers some of his own as a student.
Reviews
"An important film, both for what is shows about the place of race and class in an institution such as Harvard, and also for its attempt to advance new frontiers in contemporary documentaries."
- Richard Peña
"…virtually every black student who has attended a predominantlyy white institution can identify with the alienation, sefl-doubts, and insecurities highlighted by George."
- Peggy A. Richmond, Research and Evaluation Associates
"At an orientation program for minority students and their parents, the film fostered dialogue where it might not have occurred, and gave the parents some insight into how they can be more supportive of their children."
- Kathy Jones, University of California, Riverside
"Intelligent, well conceived...(it has) a remarkably wide range of uses."
- Robert Bailey, FILM LIBRARY QUARTERLY
Awards
• Outstanding Student Film Award, New England Film Festival
• Regional Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts
Screenings
• Art Institute of Chicago
• Institute for Comtemporary Art, Boston
• Museum of Natural History, New York
• London Film Festival
• American Film Festival
• New England Film Festival
• United Sates Film and Video Festival, Salt Lake City