Eastern Illinois University The Keep 1994 Press Releases 11-11-1994 11/11/1994 - Movie Celebrates Latino Women.pdf University Marketing and Communications Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/press_releases_1994 Recommended Citation University Marketing and Communications, "11/11/1994 - Movie Celebrates Latino Women.pdf" (1994). 1994. 557. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/press_releases_1994/557 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Press Releases at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in 1994 by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Eastern r---r-. Illinois rv7/c1\VY7~ ............ _... Universi!Y_______ LJ\J__ JL.:J __ W__ tt:J__ _ BoARD OF GOVERNO RS U NtVERSmES SHELLY FLOCK, Director of Information Public Affairs, Charleston, IL 61920 Office: (217) 581-5983 - Home: (217) 253-2082 94-313 November 11, 1994 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOVIE CELEBRATES LATINO WOMEN CHARLESTON -- The role of women in Latin American Society is the theme of the feature film The House of the Spirits to be presented on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. in Eastern Illinois University's Booth Library Lecture Hall. The film, free and open to the public, is being sponsored by Eastern's Women's Studies Council in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. The outstanding cast of this recent movie, released in the spring of 1994, includes Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Antonio Band- eras and Vanessa Redgrave. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by the internationally acclaimed Chilean novelist Isabel Allende, whose books have been translated into 27 languages. The focus of the film is the life of Clara del Valle, an upper-class Chilean woman who has supernatural powers: she can foretell the future and move objects with psychic energy. The film follows Clara's life from childhood, through marriage and mother- hood, until death. The point of view is distinctly feminine as the film explores -more- . .. ADO 1/ 1/ 1/ 1 LATINO Clara's relationship with her husband, Esteban Trueba, and her rebellious daughter, Blanca. The politics and history of Latin America form the background to the story. Clara and her husband represent the world of the wealthy and influential landown­ ers. The aspirations of the poorer classes are represented by Pedro Tercero Garcia, the lover of Clara's daughter. The military coup of 1973, which brought an end to 150 years of democra­ cy in Chile, brings the movie to a conclusion that is both tragic and hopeful. Democracy was restored to Chili in 1990 after 17 years of military dictatorship. "This visually superb film exemplifies the style of 'magic realism' that is a characteristic of most Latin American literature today," said Karen Taylor of the Women's Studies Council. "The supernatural and the 'real' blend t o form a haunt­ ing and suggestive mixture." -30-.