Amanda Berry

Staff Writer

This past week, ESU kicked off the Film on The Arts series of events with a showing of “Genius: Picasso.”

The Films on The Arts are free movie showings on Wednesday nights in the Fine Arts Center here on campus.

The movies are all related to disciplines of the arts and each is introduced by an ESU professor.

There is a lot of diversity and reasoning behind each choice of film to be used for the event by each professor that chooses a film to show.

The first film can also be found on Netflix for those who missed it and was also made by  National Geographic.

It is a short documentary about the life of Pablo Picasso and many of the problems he faced as an artist. It covers his younger years and then progresses quickly to the dilemmas he faces as an adult.

The movie works in flashbacks and flash-forwards of Picasso as a young boy, young man, and to his older self.

We get an insight into what Picasso’s life was like as a child, his struggles, and what drove him to love painting.

Without too much spoiling, the movie shows Picasso’s struggles to find his muse for a new piece during the time of World War II.

The movie begins with Picasso as a child, showing his birth, and almost immediately flashes forward to his home in France when he is older.

He is asked to paint a giant mural to depict a message of peace for the people of Spain and for the rest of the world.

Picasso, however, doesn’t want to be wrapped up in politics and talk of war, so he struggles with whether to paint the mural and what he should paint.

The feeling of being unsure about your profession or whether you are good enough is something that plagues many people’s minds.

Many people even struggle with the stress of having to do controversial things for the sake of their job or profession.

In the arts, whether you’re a writer, singer, dancer, or actor you may find yourself questioning your work and worth.

This movie shows that even the most respected, and well-known artists still struggled with the same thoughts.

It’s comforting to know that you’re not alone, and can still be super professional if you stick to your work.

The movie teaches an important lesson but is also very intriguing and interesting because of the inner struggles that Picasso goes through that can even apply to people in our own time.

The movie portrays Picasso’s life in a brief, yet concise way. You learn about the important parts of his life, his struggles as an inspiring, growing artist.

There will be two more movies shown which are linked to different disciplines in the arts but teach a lesson nonetheless.

Even if you aren’t an art major, the movies are free on campus and are a fun way to end a hectic Wednesday evening!

As college students, we often stress over our work, how well we’re doing, and if we’re going to make it somewhere in life.

This movie really shows that for those who work hard anything can happen. It is inspirational and can give people confidence in their abilities and talents.

For those who are interested in attending the event or learning more information, you can check ESU’s academic calendar for upcoming showings, or check around campus for the Films on The Arts flyers.

Email Amanda at:

aberry1@live.esu.edu