“Children of Men,” directed by Alfonso Cuarón, depicts a grim future where women are infertile, children have ceased to exist and the future of the human race is in need of a miracle.

Produced by Universal Pictures and released in 2006, “Children of Men” is Cuarón’s philosophically insightful film following his 2004 success of “Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban.”

Although the premise of infertility is based on P.D. James’ 1992 sci-fi novel of the same name, Cuarón wanted to steer clear of any cinematic and thematic characteristics of a stereotypical science-fiction film.

He was more interested in portraying the world as realistic rather than futuristic, though the narrative is set in the year 2027.

The director believes that the closer a film resembles reality, the more realistic the issues underlying the film will be for audiences.

The world in which people live is dismal and chaotic.

An ex-political activist turned bureaucrat, Theo (Clive Owen), agrees to aid his revolutionary ex-wife, Julianne (Julianne Moore).

She is part of an underground group of rebels in this time of chaos.

Theo helps his wife’s rebel group to protect an illegal immigrant who is the first woman to become pregnant in 18 years.

With the government caging illegal immigrants out of fear and paranoia, Theo must flee cross-country with the girl in order to reach an off-shore safe haven in the hope that scientists can save mankind.

The clever use of lighting and long shot angles depict a world in which there are “moments of truthfulness” in the warzone-like reality within which these people live.

Cuarón addresses issues such as government and democracy and the decisions made concerning immigrants.

The relevance of immigration in the film to the continuing debate over limiting immigrant access to the United States is powerful.

It is telling that the primary focus and source of preserving mankind resides within one young illegal immgrant. It is no directorial accident that this is so.

The society in which Theo lives, so bent on oppressing illegal immigrants and denying them citizenship, finds hope in the most unlikely candidate.

This relevant, powerful, politically-charged film will be shown four times by the Cultural Film & Lecture Series in the Connelly Center Cinema: Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 3:30 and 7 p.m. and Monday at 7 p.m. Admission is $3.50 for students with ID and $5 for all others.

At the Monday night showing, Heather Hicks, a professor in the English department, will lead a discussion following the film.

For more information, contact the communication department at X9-4750 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and

5 p.m. or consult the CFS webpage at www.culturalfilms.villanova.edu.