Andalusian Doug: Academic freedom vs. religious conservatism

How one small town university professor battles social norms and challenges students to think outside the box.

Meet Douglas DiBianco, a colourful and controversial professor of music at Eastern Illinois University.

Throughout his tenure at the school, DiBianco's curriculum has evolved to include not just core course material, but references to radical artists such as Otto Muehl, GG Allin, John Waters, Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali. He claims that in order for his students to judge any art form, they must first be familiar with its most radical examples.

Described as "impishly provocative", DiBianco uses shocking language and content to force students out of their comfort zones, opening them up to the possibility that art doesn't have to be pretty to be valuable. During his stream-of-consciousness lectures, he draws upon vast amounts of extraneous material, as well as stories from his personal life to both challenge and broaden his students' pre-conceived notions of the framework of art, music and film.

Over the years, students and even faculty members have spoken out publicly against him, condemning his unconventional subject matter and teaching style. In the mid-90s, DiBianco even became embroiled in a sexual harassment suit, brought against him by two students who claimed he created "a hostile environment in the classroom" by introducing material they found morally objectionable and irrelevant to the course.

Shot in January of 2008, with interviews with DiBianco and family, former students, professors and faculty, Andalusian Doug examines the conflict between liberal discussions and religious conservatism in academia, whether censorship has a place within a secular university, and if DiBianco was wrongfully marginalized because of his radical teaching methods.

The filmmakers invite audiences inside DiBianco's classroom to see just what all the fuss is about.

Directed by Rob Kleiner & Craig Irving
Edited by Craig Irving
Original Score by Rob Kleiner

** Available on DVD with over 2 hours of bonus material **
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MMEEAY

Visit www.andalusiandoug.com for more information.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1617000/

Media contact: andalusiandoug@gmail.com

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Andalusian
• Doug
• DiBianco
• Craig
• Irving
• Rob
• Kleiner
• Academic
• Freedom
• vs
• Religious
• Conservatism
• Otto
• Muehl
• GG
• Allin
• John
• Waters
• Luis
• Bunuel
• Salvador
• Dali