The Chiaroscuro film series is bringing enthusiasm to learning through humor with this year’s theme: “Humor Around the World.”

Zulema Moret, co-founder of the film series, professor of modern languages and literature and Latin American Studies, said that in our world are thousands of languages and hundreds of thousands of dialects, but everyone speaks the language of laughter.

“What makes people laugh in Kurdistan is not always the same as what amuses Canadians, but it might just tickle your funny bone,” Moret said.

The film series kicks off Sunday at 2 p.m. with a screening of “Max and Mona,” filmed in Africa in 2004. Max is a professional funeral mourner who wants to leave his village in order to study medicine, but before he can pursue his goals he finds himself responsible for his uncle’s debts. Max teams up with a few other characters that use their mourning talents to raise money and fend off debt collectors. The film is in Zulu and Afrikaans with English subtitles.

All films are free and is being shown at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art in downtown Grand Rapids

“Humor especially can reveal cultural differences, since cultures have varying definitions for what is funny,” said Carol Wilson, who teaches French at GVSU.

The Chiaroscuro Film Series was founded in 2005. According to the group’s mission statement, the purpose of the group is to promote International Cinema, cultural awareness and understanding of diversity.

Wilson said she would like to broaden the horizons of the community by exposing its members to world cultures through cinema.

“(This) will promote an increase in tolerance and understanding as it grows in diversity,” Wilson said.

The name Chiaroscuro is an art term that comes from Italian, “chiaro” for light and “oscuro” for dark and obscure. While it is typically used to describe the tonal contrasts used in painting, Wilson said it’s a description of the way light and dark are used in filmmaking, both literally and metaphorically.

“Max and Mona” was filmed in Africa in 2004. Max is a professional funeral mourner who wants to leave his village in order to study medicine. Before he can pursue his goals he finds himself responsible for his uncle’s debts, the village’s sacred goat names Mona. Max teams up with a few other characters that use their mourning talents to raise money and fend off debt collectors. The film is in Zulu and Afrikaans with English subtitles.

Each film showing will also feature a short film prior to the feature.

“The shorts are typically made by local filmmakers or film students, as we hope to encourage this art form in West Michigan.” Wilson said.

Many of the directors of these short films will also be available for questions afterwards as well. Some of the upcoming films come from Russia, Argentina, Israel and Canada.

“We should all participate in opportunities such as this in an effort to challenge our own attitudes and biases and develop a well-rounded understanding of humanity as a whole,” Wilson said. “Besides, it’s fun.”

For more information, and a list of films being shown, visit www.chiaroscurofilmseries.com.

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