Published: April 12, 2004

"Public Memory," a documentary film about how and why people create memorials following tragic events, will be shown at the University of Colorado at Boulder on Monday, April 19.

The film, to be shown at 7 p.m. in Hellems Arts and Sciences Building room 252, includes an interview with Professor Ken Foote, chair of CU-Boulder's geography department and author of the book "Shadowed Ground: America's Landscapes of Violence and Tragedy." The event is free and open to the public.

The documentary includes interviews with several national experts on memorials and delves into the complex issues that surround their creation. It also encourages Americans to think more deeply about the importance of memorials for events that have changed the lives of Americans forever, such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Oklahoma City bombing.

Amy Gerber, the documentary's director, will lead a discussion with the audience following the film. Gerber is an independent filmmaker and founder of FlatCoatFilms based in Virginia.

The CU-Boulder geography department, art and art history department and the Graduate Committee on the Arts and Humanities are sponsoring the event.

For more information call (303) 492-8310.