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Nun picks outfit for Academy partyBy SUSAN STARKThe Detroit News Scripps-Howard News Service DETROIT - Sister Carol Rittner, the Mercy College teacher who is one of this year’s Oscar nominees, already has her outfit planned for the glittering March 24 awards ceremony in Los Angeles.“I’m going to wear my green suit, for hope,” Sister Rittner said, “and my white gloves and my Sisters of Mercy cross.”She punctuated that little bulletin with a ripple of laughter that revealed both her pleasure and surprise at being a part of Hollywood’s biggest party of the year There is nothing frivolous, however, about either her field of inter est, Holocaust studies, or about her short film, “The Courage To Care,” nominated for an Academy Award.The 28 minute, $150,000 documentary recalls the experience of three Christians who rescued Jews from certain death at the Nazis’ hands and of two Jews who sur vived the Holocaust.One of the survivors appeared in the film, Detroit psychiatrist Ema nuel Tanay, a nationally respected expert in forensic medicine. Author Elie Wiesel, also a survivor, is the film’s commentator “I’ll say my typical nun thing about the film,” said Sister Rittner, one of its two executive producers. “It’s the kind of film a nun ought to be involved in It’s about goodness. It’s about how we ought to be to each other “I teach a lot about the Holocaust, so I know it’s a depressing subject. It’s so depressing that one can be overwhelmed with the evil So to see what we show in the film, to see these little shimmering lights of goodness in this vast sea of dark ness, is inspiring and very moving.”Sister Rittner sees the film’s nomination as being every bit as meaningful and thrilling as winning the Oscar That does not mean, however, that she won’t be doing a bit of politicking on the picture’s be half in coming weeks.“I’m gonna get my spies working,” she admitted, again laughing at her involvement in Hollywood-style shenanigans. “I want to see the films we’re up against, and I want to make sure our film is seen They say that out there, it’s who you know...”Sister Rittner hatched the idea that became “The Courage To Care” in 1984 while she was planning an international conference on the Holocaust.“The whole conference was a dream, really,” she said, “but I told Elie Wiesel about it and he responded immediately.”Sister Maurita zsengelaub, one of Sister Rittner’s colleagues at Mercy College, committed herself to raising $10,000 for the meeting “She’s a pretty sharp lady,” Sister Rittner said with a chuckle.“So, then I went to Bill Flynn, head of the Mutual of America insurance company, and I told him. If Maurita can raise $10,000, surely you can raise $50,000,’ He agreed to chair the fund-raising effort. And from there, it all came together. His effort raised $150,000. And we got a like amount from ordinary people, wonderful people, Christians and Jews alike, in amounts from $2 to $25,000.”In September 1984, Sister Rittn er’s dream of a conference came true, and an international group of Holocaust survivors and heroes convened in Washington. But Sister Rittner wasn’t content to make the conference happen and let it go at that.“I felt a book should come out of the event, and a film,” Sister Rittner recalled “So Sandra Meyers, who is the film's other executive producer, Elie Wiesel and I had lunch with Bill Flynn and presented a proposal for the film That was in November of '84 A month later, Flynn told us the board of Mutual of America had agreed to fund the movie.”Flynn also used his connections as a board member of United Way in Alexandria, Va . to find a director for “The Courage To Care.” “United Way has its own film pro duction staff.” Sister Rittner explained. “And we were lucky enough to get its senior executive producer, Rob Gordon, to make our film.“All I told Rob is that I want the movie to say that one person can make a difference. I wanted to show that the few who helped (save Jews) make a lie of the many who said there was nothing they could do The rest really depended on Rob’s artistic eye.“During the entire production period, we had almost no disagreements. There were only twousi«vof uviii Wei vci y minor points,when I had to say, I,ook Rob, I’m paying the money, so we’ll do it this way.’ So the film is really to Rob Gordon’s credit, although people will say it’s to my credit because it came of my idea, my determination.”The general public won’t get a chance to see “The Courage To Care” until May. It is scheduled to bow then on PBS during the National Days of Remembrance, designated as a time to air memories of the Holocaust.ASHARON GAEKE, president of PS+G Enterprises of Defiance, looks on as Dr. David Hazlett of Defiance College demonstrates the facility’s current testing equipment. Earlier this week, PS+G donated $1,000 toward the purchase of a gas chromatograph for the college laboratoryThaukts la a£2 oufi cuaImhia {sat titeifi 2oya£ supftofd! We am going fa LOWER OUR PRICESla beliefi oefwe you.NEWLOWERPRICES*2.00 Overnight Rentals*3.00 3 Day Rentalmembership cardStamps»»NEWLOWERPRICESNON*2.50 Overnight Rentals *3.50 3 Day Rental
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