Students who have always wanted to travel the world and see new cultures can now do so without ever leaving campus.

The KinoMonda International Film Series will aim to provide students with an educational and entertaining look at the world’s unique cultures through cinematography, John Singleton, director of International Student Services, said. Wednesday, the series will show the documentary “Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo and The Search for Identity,” produced by media professionals at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Manochehr Dorraj, professor of political science, said he has attended the series because each film captured different cultures and their sense of tragedy and happiness.

“Each film is a window to another world,” Dorraj said.

Singleton said he loved that there was a group of students who loved international films and that he could provide a college experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Malu Guillen, a former student who graduated in December, said she attended the film series regularly and she appreciated how international films show different cultural landscapes.

“I would tell other students to come because you get free food and really good movies,” Guillen said.

The university was selected from a list of other universities to show the film, Singleton said. The documentary chronicles the Argentinean “Dirty War” and its continuing impact on almost every aspect of life in Argentina, he said.

According to the documentary’s website, the “Dirty War” took place between 1976 and 1983 when the country’s military dictatorship kidnapped, tortured and killed those opposed to its power.

During the war, babies were taken from pregnant mothers and given to supporters of the military power, according to the site. Today in Argentina, a group named Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, or The Grandmothers of May Plaza, have led a movement to find those babies who have no knowledge of their true identities.

Singleton said although the documentary was emotionally heavy, he thought the film was important because many people were unaware of the difficulties and struggles Argentines faced during that time. He said the film was significant in its ability to show the civilian perspective of the “Dirty War” during a time when the government was committing horrible acts against its people.

Singleton said for the film series, he looked for “extra-cultural films” that showcased real life outside the United States.

There was a challenge to find qualified films for the series, because while many opportunities exist for students to learn about other cultures, international films were often edited for Western audiences and did not reflect a country’s true culture, he said.

“To get a true representation of another culture, I would much rather show an average film from another country than one that has been prepared specifically for a Western audience from that country,” he said.

Singleton said participation in the series was growing, with around 60 to 80 people attending the screenings each week. The crowd consisted of mostly locals from the university community and a small number of students. However, university faculty members consistently attended screenings as well, he said.

KinoMonda International Film Series
When: 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday
“Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo and The Search for Identity”
Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Sid W. Richardson Building, Lecture Hall 4
Cost: Free and open to the public