Wormz and the Decomposers are returning for another show at ARTS/West on Saturday.
Continuing the College Fine Arts efforts to merge the various division's in the School of Dance, Film and Theater, the Film Division has hired Neo-neo realist filmmaker Rafal Sokolowski for the position of assistant professor.
Steven Ross, artistic director/head of the Film Division, said his hiring will make a strong addition to the school filling the void made by former School of Film visiting assistant professor Pearl Gluck, who took a tenure position at Penn State.
“What makes Rafal a particularly interesting hire is that he has an incredibly strong background, first as an actor, and then as a theater director,” Ross said.
He said that since the School of Film, Dance and Theater are further combining under the umbrella of the College of Fine Arts last year, the hiring process is looking for people like Sokolowski who can bridge those gaps.
Born and raised in Poland, and later relocating to Canada—both countries in which he holds citizenship—Sokolowski was originally a professor in Toronto at the universities of York and Ryerson. While he enjoyed Ryerson especially, he was drawn to the small, intimate hands-on role in shaping the Ohio University curriculum and what he can teach and express here.
Sokolowski said he’s interested in the fact that a number of School of Film professors are also active in filmmaking as well as instructors.
“I see myself both as a practitioner of film and a teacher of film, and I combine these two,” Sokolowski said. “The experiences that I have gained from film, making my own films, I bring to the classroom and I share that with the students.”
Sokolowski was among three candidates who visited OU. Sokolowski accepted the position in July.
He said he hopes to not only make films with the students,but also show his films to his classes. “Not in an arrogant way,” he added, it’s something he believes is a “win-win situation.” He gets to give them valuable information he has learned while also gaining inspiration and a fresh perspective from a new age of filmmakers.
“I’m curious as to how my work will be perceived, and to discuss this work critically,” Sokolowski said. “But also I think this is the best way to introduce myself, to them, is to show my work. It’s a very direct way to say ‘that is what I believe in film.’ ”
Primarily teaching 11 second-year students, along with the course “The Practice of Film Criticism,” Sokolowski will ultimately be finding himself at the heart of mentoring and helping make films with young filmmakers throughout the year.
“The one thing that I am really looking forward to is our initial meetings, and to have one-on-one meetings and to hear their ideas, what they want to do, their passions, their curiosities,” Sokolowski said. “What is it that they want to say about the world that they live in?”
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