Polylinguist Surian Figueroa can travel to more than 100 countries of the world and speak their languages. Southwestern College students heard many of the same languages without ever leaving Chula Vista thanks to this year’s International Film Festival.
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Figueroa, the multitalented professor of Italian and ESL, said students enjoy films and learn amazing things about other cultures.
“You can learn about the multiple realities that exist in this complex world we live in,” she said. “Not only linguistic information, but also traditions, values, humor, cultural differences and similarities, and the universal themes that everyone can understand and share.”
All films are in languages taught by the World Languages department, including Italian, Spanish, French, Filipino and Japanese. This year’s films included “A Better Life,” “Benvenuti al Sud,” “A Mother’s Story,” “Intouchables,” “La Chispas de la Vida” and “Always 3.”
Spanish professors Dinorah Guadiana-Costa and Angelina Stuart organized the festival.
Guadiana-Costa said language is best learned with context and culture.
“This festival is culturally rich and it speaks of themes that are important for students to be aware of, whether they are political or social,” she said.
Guadiana-Costa said that viewing these films could change a student’s outlook on another culture.
“Students will develop their language skills and show sympathy towards the culture,” she said. “Positive and negative sides about it may be shown, and this only reinforces a student’s perspective of the culture.”
Spanish professor Deana Alonso-Post said the festival has benefits for all students.
“Bilingual students have the advantage of keeping their language alive and gaining vocabulary skills, possibly some slang, or more advanced skills depending on the movie,” she said. “For the non-bilingual students it is an opportunity to expose them to another culture and another way of life. It helps the student realize we are more similar than different.”
