Students looking for more exposure to foreign cultures and films can look forward to "The Legend of White Snake" this Sunday.

Sponsored by UAF's Chinese language program and the philosophy department, the film is intended to give students and the community some exposure to Chinese opera. The opera tells the story of a white fairy snake and her human husband.

The opera is not like what American audiences might expect, said Rosalind Kan, the movie's co-host. Along with singing, the story also has spoken dialogue and martial arts action.

"It's very highly skilled, very unique," she said.

Although the film was made in the 1980s, the story is much older and dates back more than a thousand years. According to most accounts of the legend, the story centers on a white snake and a green snake with magical powers. One day, the two transform into human women dressed in white and green. They meet a man, and the lady in white falls in love and marries him.

Kan noted that the story emphasizes morals, religion, and philosophy. The story reveals people's feelings about the love of a husband and wife, a topic that is not considered proper to talk about openly in China, according to advertisements.

This is the second year UAF has shown a Chinese opera. Kan said that she and Walter Benesch, the other host, hope to show one every year.

The film will be shown April 18 at 2:00 pm in the Wood Center Ballroom. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Rosalind Kan at 474-0908 or Walter Benesch at 479-2386.

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