A student film featuring a Nazi flag on the University of Southern California (USC) campus has ignited controversy and provoked discussions about the presence of hate symbols in educational settings.
In an anonymous post on social media, a photograph of a student film crew displaying the swastika flag in front of the campus bookstore, captioned “only at USC,” surfaced last week, as reported by Annenberg Media.
This flag is a prop for a sanctioned film project titled “Tension,” which explores the theme of increasing racial tensions within the campus community, according to the news outlet.
Kristin Borella, the director of communications for USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, confirmed to the outlet that the shoot was officially permitted and approved by the school.
Joshua Flores, the student directing the film, explained that the controversial scene is meant to initiate conversations and foster discussions that are vital, authentic, and unfiltered.
The film is a component of a graduate-level production course and tells the story of an Afro-Latino man’s journey to self-discovery while confronting racial challenges.
The course requires students to produce movies with the goal of spurring social change.
Borella told the outlet the Department of Public Safety was notified “given the sensitive nature of the shoot” and signed off on the production permit.
However, assistant chief of DPS David Carlisle said he had no knowledge of any permits.
“I don’t have any info on this particular filming,” Carlisle told the outlet.
