Presented as part of Bijou Film Forum - In cooperation with various UI departments and organizations, the Bijou Film Board presents special screenings and discussions of acclaimed and provocative films. Free for UI students with valid ID. $5 for the general public.

Special Advance Screening: HAPPY VALLEY will return for a limited encore engagement following its commerical theatrical release in late November or early December, dates TBA.

DIALOGUE: Post-screening discussion to follow screening with Travis Vogan, UI assistant professor in School of Journalism and Mass Communication, who teaches about sports scandals and wrote a book about NFL Films; and UI graduate student David Schwartz, who's writing part of his dissertation on Joe Paterno.

"Thorough, thoughtful and heartbreaking." --Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"Riveting...turns the tables on the national perception of the scandal." --Eric Kohn, Indiewire

"A gripping and thoughtful take on the Penn State scandal." --Justin Chang, Variety

HAPPY VALLEY

Amir Bar-Lev's documentary HAPPY VALLEY takes an unflinching look at an iconic American institution in the wake of unthinkable scandal. Nestled in the idyllic area known as Happy Valley lies the town of State College and the home of Penn State University. For over 40 years, Joe Paterno was the celebrated head coach of the school's storied football team. Lauded not only for his program's success on the field, but also for students’ achievements in the classroom, Paterno was a revered figure in a town where team loyalty approached nationalistic fervor. Then in November 2011 everything changed when longtime assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with 40 counts of child sex abuse, setting off a firestorm of accusations about who failed to protect the children of Happy Valley. Filmed over the course of the year after Sandusky’s arrest as key players agreed to share their stories, HAPPY VALLEY deconstructs the story to uncover a complicated and tragic tale. Director Bar-Lev creates an indelible portrait of a wounded community and an engrossing investigation into the role big time college football played in both the crimes and their aftermath.