Middle class. Working class. Upper class. Social class can
be harder to spot than racial or ethnic differences, yet in
many ways it's the most important predictor of what kind of
financial and educational opportunities someone will have
in life.
How do income, family background, education, attitudes, aspirations,
and even appearance mark someone as a member of a particular
social class? Louis Alvarez and Andrew Kolker traveled the
country for three years talking to people about social class,
and discovered it is still a great taboo. Their film, edited
and co-produced by Emmy Award winning editor Peter Odabashian,
presents a rich and colorful pastiche.
Alvarez and Kolker, twice winners of both the Peabody Award
and the duPont-Columbia Journalism Award, have over the past
25 years produced critically praised documentaries on American
culture, treating important topics in American life with a
unique mixture of humor and poignancy. In addition to People
Like Us, Alvarez and Kolker have tackled motherhood (MOMS),
politics (Vote for Me and Louisiana Boys - Raised on Politics),
accents (American Tongues) and the globalization of pop culture
(The Japanese Version). Kolker and Alvarez began their careers
in New Orleans and now live in New York City
Odabashian has edited 19 documentaries and has been a sound
editor on more than 17 feature films, from REDS to Carlito's
Way. In 1984, he won a Golden Reel Award for best feature
sound editing for the film Places In The Heart. In 1987, he
cut The Beat Generation, a feature length documentary that
was screened at the Berlin Film Festival.
"People Like Us: Social Class
in America" will be shown in White
Hall, Room 208. Discussion follows in
the same room.
Open to the public
Refreshments will be served
