Course Description
History of major films, directors, and movements in French cinema from 1895 to present.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Students will read additional history and theory materials from FRENCH FILM TEXT AND CONTEXTS, will write a 12-15 page research paper, and deliver a condensed 10-minute summary presentation to the class during the final week of the semester. Note: There is no graduate degree in Film Studies; hence the graduate students come from a wide range of departments and programs, often with little training in film.
Athena Title
French Film History
Prerequisite
FILM 2120
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
"French Film History" introduces students to major technological, social, and artistic events in the French cinema. The class allows in-depth study of major directors and influential movies, while relating their narrative strategies to their historical context and critical milieu.
Topical Outline
I. Growth of Cinema; Silent Era A. Technological, Economic, and Narrative Beginnings B. Major Figures, from Lumiere to Dali C. Art Movements: French Impressionism and Surrealism II. 1930s and the Coming of Sound A. Sound Technology and Narrative Style B. Poetic Realism C. Authorship: Jean Vigo, Rene Clair, Marcel Carne, and Jean Renoir III. World War II and Post-War Years A. Nazi Occupation, New Institutions B. Tradition of Quality IV. French New Wave A. Major Economic and Aesthetic Factors B. Cahiers Directors: Francois Truffaut, Eric Rohmer, Jean-Luc Godard C. The Left Bank Group: Agnes Varda, Alain Resnais, Jean Rouch V. Post-New Wave Cinema A. May '68 and Political Cinema B. Major Figures of the 1970s, 1908s, and 1990s C. French Production after 2000
Syllabus