With the new year now truly underway, it is time to look forward to one of the year’s biggest and earliest events in the greater Grand Rapids area.

The Chiaroscuro Film Series marks its return this January with a collection of new films focusing on a singular subject from the Grand Rapids area and from around the world.

The 2011 Chiaroscuro Film Series will focus on the feminine outlook on the concepts of love, life, beauty and justice, as seen through the lens of a film camera. With six feature films directed by women from around the world, the series will pair the films with a collection of shorts crafted by local filmmakers. Panel discussions will follow each screening.

“Our mission is the promotion of cultural diversity and awareness through the showing of international film and round table discussion for the benefit of students and members of the community,” said Dr. Zulema Moret, co-founder of the Chiaroscuro Film Series. “In all of our programs, we try to foster a good-working relationship between members of the community, students and professors.”

The sense of community is at the core of this film series.

One of the short films, a collection of animation pieces, was spearheaded by Film and Video Production professor Deanna Morse.

“Set to premiere on March 20th, the nine-minute short actually consists of four child-made animated films, entitled ‘Imagining Olympics,’ ‘Puppet Magicians,’ ‘Behind the Scenes’ and ‘Super Doughnuts,’” Morse said. “For the past three years, we have partnered with the (Grand Rapids Community Media Center) to offer animation workshops for youth in our community. We are part of the Animation Workshop Group of (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation), the international organization of animators, and each year we join with youth workshops around the globe to make a film around a common theme or visual idea.”

With previous themes ranging from the connection between food and ethnicity to the concept of love between members of different cultures, 2011’s series will focus on the world as seen through the eyes of women. Through these themes, those behind the series hope to bring to light new ideas and worlds for the public at large.

“In our society, there are basically two kinds of film: those produced by Hollywood and the independent art film,” Moret said. “The Hollywood vision of the world can be very narrow and concentrates on primarily Anglo Saxon ideals. Art films, on the other hand, offer a more diverse look at the human condition, giving a more realistic view through its narrative, visual and esthetic concepts. The short films in the series will give producers and local directors an opportunity for candid feedback and discussion with members of the audience and offers several cultural and education opportunities for viewers and filmmakers alike.”

Women take the spotlight this year.

The series will look at the medium of film and the way narratives are told through the eyes of women through six films from six respected names in the film world. According to the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, films from names like Isabel Coixet (whose “The Secret Life Of Words” was the first film shown for this year’s series) and Catherine Breillat (“Bluebeard”), will be part of this year’s collection.

For a full list of films, visit http://www.uica.org.

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