It’s been about 40 years since the Civil Rights Movement ended, yet racism still plays a major role in today’s society. Few dare to broach this topic or even admit that society may still have reservations toward people of certain race or class.

The 2004 film “Crash” dared to approach this topic with a realistic presentation of how people can be viewed and judged, and the impacts that these preconceptions can cause.

Bobby Moresco, one of the screenwriters for the film, will be on campus at 7:30 p.m. Monday to present a lecture titled “Society Through My Lens” in the University Union Ballroom. He provided some insight of what went into making this film in a telephone interview.

Moresco said he and his business partner, Paul Haggis began writing the screenplay for “Crash” shortly after 9/11. Moresco said Haggis called him with the idea for the film and said it was a story worth telling.

Two scenes depicted in the film were based on real events that Haggis experienced. Haggis and his wife were mugged in the same manner portrayed in a scene from the film. Haggis also had a negative and degrading experience while working as a television producer. Moresco said experiences like that could take away dignity and self-respect.

Moresco said he wasn’t paid to write the screenplay, yet chose to work on this film because he liked exploring how fear affects people.

After conducting a vast amount of research, Moresco and Haggis were able to write the screenplay in about two weeks. Moresco said they were able to complete the script so fast because they were able to soak themselves into every aspect of the film’s world.

Because this film didn’t have a lot of funding, Moresco and Haggis needed actors to read the script in order to persuade them into wanting to be a part of the movie. Getting actors to read the script is difficult. Moresco attributed Don Cheadle for help in recruiting the cast. Cheadle was the first actor cast in the film.

Moresco worried that viewers would not “get” the movie and said having test audiences helped him know when the film was ready. This helped Moresco know if audiences were really grasping an understanding for the film.

“I am grateful with how audiences reacted to the movie,” Moresco said.

Moresco said he wanted to provide truth and drama with this film.

“Where you put people in pressure cooking situations where people do things ugly,” Moresco said. “When people behave in a certain way, people react in other ways.”

Moresco never went to film school. He became an actor when he was 18 years old and continued to act until he was about 32 years old. He said he couldn’t make it happen so he opened his own theater company where he wrote his own plays, acted in them and directed them. Moresco wrote 40 to 50 productions on and off Broadway.

Moresco’s advice to aspiring screenwriters: “Find out what you care about in your gut and soul. This is what I want to write about, tell that story.”

Moresco said he sometimes receives offers for acting roles, but he declines because his passion is now writing, producing and directing. Moresco’s current projects include directing “10th and Wolf” which is a story about a mob war in Philadelphia. This film will be released in May with a cast including Tommy Lee, Val Kilmer and Dennis Hopper.

Moresco is the executive producer of a new television series titled “The Black Donnellys” scheduled to air later this year. Moresco also co-producer the film “Million Dollar Baby.”

“Crash,” nominated for six Academy Awards, became a success because of its honest portrayal of society and racism.

Said Moresco: “Racism is not so far behind us as it is beneath us.”

In addition to the lecture, there will be a Noon and 5 p.m. Monday showing of “Crash” in the University Union Ballroom.

Linda Le can be reached at [email protected]