National film screenings, local events help bridge the gap between political divides
The University of Mississippi is partnering with Listen First Project this month to host and promote the seventh annual National Week of Conversation, an event that aims to give citizens tools to close the gap in a polarized American society through civic discussion.
The National Week of Conversation is an annual campaign that provides inspiration and opportunities that help citizens bridge the divisions between differing views. This year’s event also partners with the National Governors Association and its #DisagreeBetter campaign.
“Conversations that involve disagreement can be scary,” said Graham Bodie, UM professor of media and communication. “Most of us don’t seek them out, but when we approach them with a healthy dose of humility and curiosity, we realize that ‘the other’ who we all-too-easily demonize is simply another person.”
For the first time, this year’s events will include the Better Together Film Festival, where participants can watch films that discuss divisive issues. Hundreds of libraries, museums, community centers and colleges – including Ole Miss – will host the screenings.
The university will host a screening of “Purple: America, We Need to Talk” at noon April 15 in The Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union, Room 323.
As the nation’s political landscape grows increasingly divisive, more than 65% of Americans feel exhausted when thinking about politics, and only 4% say the U.S. government is working well, according to the Pew Research Center.
In the same Pew Research Center study, the most common words people use to describe the government are “divisive” and “corrupt.”
What America needs is to learn how to talk to one another again, event organizers said.
“Genuinely listening to another’s story is a great way to humanize them, and when they return the favor, relationships form and we find ways to work together and improve the community we both call home,” Bodie said.
Graduate students in Bodie’s IMC 559: Advanced IMC Campaigns class helped create the web design, marketing, video and overall structure for the week’s events.
The students worked with the Listen First Coalition, a collection of more than 500 nonprofit organizations across the nation, to organize this year’s events.
“It’s really important to have these tough conversations, especially in the climate we have today,” said Paris Payne, a second-year IMC graduate student from Newton who is in the class.
Payne said it has been exciting to see the national event come together over the last two semesters.
“The main thing is seeing what you do play out and making a difference,” she said. “I contributed to the tough conversations being had. You get to see your work play out in real time.”
The festival will include films such as: “Black, White, and the Greys,” “Dialogue Lab: America,” “List(e)n,” “Public Enemies, Private Friends,” “Purple: America, We Need to Talk” and “Undivide Us.“
“The Better Together Film Festival provides a free, easy and entertaining way for communities to gather across lines of difference, enjoy high-caliber films and explore what connects us during a year when so many are trying to divide us,” said Pearce Godwin, CEO of the Listen First Project.
Organizers also partnered with public broadcasting stations to air “Divided We Fall: Listening with Curiosity” on April 14, 2024, on Rocky Mountain PBS and April 17, 2024, on the PBS World Channel. Mississippi Public Broadcasting will air the documentary on MPB Classroom TV at 11:30 pm April 17, 2024.
By Clara Turnage
