ATS3295 - Screening contemporary Europe - 2017

Europe is the birthplace of cinema, and from the silent era through to Italian neo-realism, to the new waves of the 1960s and 70s, European cinema changed the way we see and know the world. In this unit we trace the development of European cinema after the fall of the Berlin Wall and into the 21st century, asking three key questions: How have the changing boundaries and social crises in Europe in the post-Berlin Wall era impacted on cinema? What distinguishes European cinema from others in the global era? Can the cinema still be an appropriate media for reflecting cultures, identity and social change? We will study some of Europe's most influential contemporary films and documentaries. We will examine the tension between the rise of transnational European 'blockbuster' cinema, designed to compete with Hollywood, and traditional European art house filmmaking. We will consider the long-standing relationship between European cinema and the European tradition of film festivals. We will address issues of language, translation and subtitling. And we will also look at political and social implications of important emergent cinemas from this period, including a proliferation of immigrant films that are challenging traditional conceptions of European space and identity. Students will be introduced to films from a range of countries, including France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Hungary and Spain.

Upon successful completion of the unit students will have

1. an understanding of the role cinema plays in contemporary European societies;
2. an ability to apply relevant cinema and cultural studies concepts;
3. familiarity with some of Europe's most influential films and documentaries;
4. skills in the formulation, structuring and written presentation of scholarly analysis of European film and documentaries;
5. skills in cross-cultural competency and team work through contribution to collaborative projects and on-line sites of learning.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Associate Professor Therese Davis

Communications and media studies

Film and screen studies

French studies

German studies

International relations

International studies

Italian studies

Journalism

Spanish and Latin American studies

Two gateway units in either Film and screen studies, Communication and media studies, Journalism or approved equivalent.

ATS2295