SFA to screen 'Breaking the Maya Code'
August 26, 2009
NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Art will present a free one-night film screening of "Breaking the Maya Code" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, in the Ledbetter Gallery of The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, 329 E. Main St. in downtown Nacogdoches.
"Breaking the Maya Code" traces the 200-year struggle to decipher the ancient Maya hieroglyphic script and thereby unlock the secrets of one of mankind's greatest civilizations, explained Christian Cutler, director of the SFA galleries.
The two-hour feature documentary is based on the book of the same title by archaeologist and historian Michael Coe, who was personally involved in the decipherment. The New York Times called the book "one of the great stories of twentieth century discovery."
Released in 2008 by Night Fire Films, the film won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Red Rock Film Festival and the Festival Grand Prize at the Arkeolan: International Archaeological Film Festival of the Bidasoa, Irun, Spain.
The Nacogdoches screening is sponsored in part by the SFA Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, the Art History program and the Latin American Studies program, as well as the SFA Friends of the Visual Arts and Nacogdoches Junior Forum. For more information, please call (936) 468-1131.