The Department of Modern History, Politics, and International Studies and Universal Studies Australia want to offer you free movie tickets!

Join us for the Darkest Hour, a film that chronicles the early days of World War II when, with the fall of France imminent, Britain faces its darkest hour as the threat of invasion looms. As the seemingly unstoppable Nazi forces advance, and with the Allied army cornered on the beaches of Dunkirk, the fate of Western Europe hangs on the leadership of the newly-appointed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman).

While maneouvering his political rivals, he must confront the ultimate choice: negotiate with Hitler and save the British people at a terrible cost or rally the nation and fight on against incredible odds. Directed by Joe Wright, Darkest Hour is the dramatic and inspiring story of four weeks in 1940 during which Churchill’s courage to lead changed the course of world history.

The film does not open in Australia until 11 January 2018, but the exclusive showing will be at Hoyts Broadway in Glebe at 6pm on 23 November. After the showing, there will be a brief Q&A with Macquarie’s modern European historian Dr Keith Rathbone.

If you want to attend this movie, please email Keith Rathbone from your MQ email address to reserve your seat. The tickets will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

Grad Season 2017, the outcome of a partnership between the ABC and film schools around the country, is the first initiative on Australian TV created to celebrate outstanding student films. The final showcase of the films includes the work of two Macquarie graduates, Being Jasper, and The 5 to 9.

Being Jasper, a short film by former media student, Maddy, is one of the two Macquarie student films selected to appear on Grad Season.

Being Jasper is a character profile of Jasper Newstead, a young Sydney man living life with two different identities as both himself and his drag alter, Krystal Kleer. It explores the struggles and strengths that Krystal provides Jasper and vice versa.

“I’m not sure what sparked my interest [in film] initially, but I do remember hassling my wonderful parents from the age of about eight, asking them to buy me a video camera so I could start making movies. It was a chunky camcorder, but it provided hours of entertainment for my sister, friends and me to recreate scenes from films and TV shows.

“Creating this documentary and the practical screen classes were highlights of my time at Macquarie. I met a whole bunch of amazing peers who I will hopefully work with again in the future.”

Kristy is also a media graduate and her short film, The 5 to 9, was also selected to appear on Grad Season.

“The 5 to 9 is a poetic documentary exploring the qualities of nighttime, through the perspective of three shift-workers. This idea was sparked during a 3am walk home with friends after a night out. I walked past a building and saw someone in a lab coat working through the middle of the night. I started wondering about the night and who keeps working through it whilst everyone else has stopped.

“My passion for film started when I was showing family and friends a short film made in the dark room of my high school. I was watching them all watching the film and feeling super nervous about their reaction. The response was mixed; some were smiling, some were serious and some were even crying. I realised the power of film and how you can instantly make someone feel something, see a different perspective or learn something new.

“The fellow screen students I studied with have provided a solid base of connections that I’ve stayed in contact with, post uni. We all look out for each other in regards to roles, work on extra projects to build our portfolio, and support each other’s work whether that’s helping out or going to screenings. I feel super lucky to have been surrounded by all these people and excited to see where we all end up.”

Congrats to both Kristy and Maddy on their outstanding achievements. You can stream the films, and browse the films of other students, on iview now.

Macquarie’s commitment to providing an environment underpinned by values of dignity, respect and inclusion is captured in Respect. Now. Always., a campaign that addresses sexual assault and harassment on Australian university campuses.

As part of this project, on 16 August we will be screening The Hunting Ground, a documentary that highlights issues of assault on United States college campuses. We encourage all students to attend; family and friends are also welcome (just remember to RSVP to secure a seat). Following the screening, there will be a panel session featuring students, counselling, police and Macquarie reps.

A standalone Sexual Assault Policy is also in development, and it will accompany our existing Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment Prevention Policy. We will also be conducting sexual ethics awareness training for student reps and staff to ensure everyone is informed of their rights and responsibilities.

Macquarie is a place of safety and respect for all who attend or visit, and we’d love for you to be involved in providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone.

Register now for the Respect. Now. Always. film screening and panel discussion, and click here to find out where you can get support if you—or someone you know—has experienced sexual assault.