When the Sweet Briar College Weekend Film Series resumes Friday evening with its usual eclectic fare, it wastes no time jumping into controversy.

“Jesus Camp,” which will play Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27, is a documentary filmed at Pastor Becky Fischer’s charismatic Christian summer camp for children. According to the film’s official Web site, directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady take a “first-ever look into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America’s political future.”

The film’s subject sparked discussion after its limited release last fall, and generated its share of news coverage. “Jesus Camp” evokes strong reactions from those who see it as an even-handed look at a frightening evangelical Christian movement. Although some conservative Christians object to its portrayal, Fischer writes on her Kids in Ministry Web site that the film is fair if it’s viewed as a snapshot of her ministry’s programs.

The Weekend Film Series continues throughout the spring semester with a lineup that includes Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett starring in “Babel” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” a critically acclaimed fairy tale for adults that has been nominated for a Golden Globe for best foreign language film.

The series, which features recent popular films as well as titles that haven’t been screened locally, is free and open to the public. All shows are 7:30 p.m. in Tyson Auditorium (Room 100) in Benedict Hall. For information, please e-mail esalotto@sbc.edu.

Spring 2007 Weekend Film Series Schedule

• Jan. 26 and 27: “Jesus Camp” — This documentary follows Levi, Rachael and Tory, to the “Kids on Fire” summer camp in Devil’s Lake, N.D., where kids as young as 6 years old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in “God’s army.” The film follows these children at camp as they hone their “prophetic gifts” and are schooled in how to “take back America for Christ.” The documentary also features a counterpoint, in the form of excerpts from Michael Papantonio’s “Ring of Fire” show on Air America. Although he frequently takes aim at the fundamentalist Christian movement, Papantonio is an active Methodist who admits that his moral compass comes from his faith. Rated PG-13


• Feb. 9 and 10: “The Science of Sleep” — Life seems to be looking up for shy and withdrawn Stephane when he is coaxed to return to his childhood home with the promise of a job ... in the mundane world of copy setting. Wildly creative, his fanciful and sometimes disturbing dream life constantly threatens to usurp his waking world. Stephane is quickly drawn to his neighbor, Stephanie, whose imagination easily matches his own. As their relationship blossoms, the confidence Stephane exudes in his dreams begins bleeding over into his real life. Unable to bear the prospect of a waking world without Stephanie’s love, and with no satisfying solutions coming out of his dream world, Stephane faces a dilemma he may not be able to depend on the science of sleep to help him solve. Rated R


• Feb. 23 and 24: “Marie Antoinette” — Kirsten Dunst portrays the young Austrian princess, who, as a teenager, becomes Queen of France. Jason Schwartzman portrays her indifferent husband Louis XVI. Other members of the ensemble, portraying various members of the elitist court of Versailles include Rip Torn (in the role of King Louis XV), Judy Davis (as the Comtesse de Noailles), Marianne Faithfull (Maria-Teresa) and Shirley Henderson (Aunt Sophie). PG-13


• March 23 and 24: “Half Nelson” — An inner-city junior high school teacher with a drug habit forms an unlikely friendship with one of his students after she discovers his secret. Starring Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps. Rated R


• April 6 and 7: “Babel” — Armed with a Winchester rifle, two Moroccan boys set out to look after their family’s herd of goats. In the silent echoes of the desert, they decide to test the rifle — but the bullet goes farther than they thought it would. Starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Rated R


• April 20 and 21: “Children of Men” — This film envisages a world one generation from now that has fallen into anarchy on the heels of an infertility defect in the population. The world’s youngest citizen has just died at 18, and humankind is facing the likelihood of its own extinction. Set against a backdrop of London torn apart by violence and warring nationalistic sects, “Children of Men” follows disillusioned bureaucrat Theo (Clive Owen) as he becomes an unlikely champion of Earth’s survival. When the planet’s last remaining hope is threatened, this reluctant activist is forced to face his own demons and protect her from certain peril. Rated R


• April 27 and 28: “Little Children” — Based on the book by Tom Perrotta, “Little Children” is about two recently married couples living in the same community, whose lives become interconnected in dangerous ways. Starring Jennifer Connelly and Kate Winslet. Rated R


• May 4 and 5: “Pan’s Labyrinth” — In this fairy tale, a small family in Spain moves into an old house in 1944 after the rise of fascism under Franco. The daughter, at age 12, is influenced by a faun that presides over an old ruined labyrinth near her home that is inhabited by fantastical creatures. Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Rated R