Documentary Production and Distribution News

Invisible Children Organization to Screen Viral Video Phenomenon �Kony 2012' at Rockford College

By StudentFilmmakers.com
posted Mar 26, 2012, 00:07

(Rockford, IL) When Rockford College's forum committee chose the group Invisible Children to participate in its spring forum series more than a year ago, they didn't realize the international attention it would receive through the Kony 2012 campaign. The college looks for thought-provoking and challenging topics for its forum series and when student Joleena Ducett suggested inviting the group, the committee agreed.

Ducett's InterVarsity Chapter had been a supporter of Invisible Children, the charity founded by the producers of Kony 2012. The forum committee knew that Invisible Children and the plight of child soldiers in central Africa would be a timely and incisive topic, but what has evolved is a phenomenon of social media and the power of young people who are inspired to act.

To date, the Kony 2012 video has received over 90 million hits on YouTube and Vimeo. The story behind the rise of the video and its message to expose the brutality of Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony also has been covered by virtually every major news outlet in the U.S.

"As students at Rockford College, we are continually told to think, act and change our world," said Ducett, a senior majoring in English. "By showing this documentary and reaching out to our peers we can help raise awareness about something happening halfway around the world and hopefully, garner enough of a public outcry that we can literally change the world for the better."

The documentary will be shown at Rockford College on March 26, 7 p.m. in Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. Representatives from the Invisible Children organization will be on campus to present the 24-minute documentary, including Oyella Jane, a native of Uganda who is currently an Invisible Children scholarship student and attends college in Uganda.

Rockford College's forum series presents performers from the arts and speakers from a variety of disciplines, viewpoints, and walks of life.

"In additional to providing exposure to cultural and artistic events, we hope to raise awareness about issues and controversies of interest to both our local and global communities," said William Gahan, Rockford College English professor and chair of the Forum Committee. "Students are required to attend two events each semester and encouraged to attend as many as possible to broaden their educational experience." Forum events are also open to the public.

Click here for more information.

Resources:

www.invisiblechildren.com
www.rockford.edu/?page=ForumSeries

 

 

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