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for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Contemporary French Cinema (1990s-present). |
| Unit code |
FREN30100 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
H/6
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. Nick Rees-Roberts |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None
|
| Co-requisites |
None
|
| School/department |
Department of French |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Arts |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit will build on the second-year cinema course that introduces issues and debates in contemporary French film production. This seminar-based course will be organised around a number of key themes and trends in recent cinema. The content (films, directors, movements, technologies of style etc) will vary from year to year. The aim will be to explore key issues around aesthetics, cultural representation, spectatorship and reception, and the socio-economic context of contemporary French cinema. Topics include: popular genres, thrillers, new social realism, auteur film, beur cinema, women filmmakers, heritage film, Hollywood remakes, stars, digital technology and the economy of the French film industry.
Aims:
- To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to final year level. The content matter will normally include one or more of the following: literature; social, cultural or political history; linguistics; cultural studies; film, television or other media.
- To facilitate students' engagement with a body of literature, including secondary literature, texts, including in non-print media, primary sources and ideas as a basis for their own analysis and development. Normally many or most of these sources will be in a language other than English and will enhance the development of their linguistic skills.
- To develop further skills of synthesis, analysis and independent research, building on the skills acquired in units at level I.
- To equip students with the skills to undertake postgraduate study in a relevant field.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Successful students will:
- be knowledgable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;
- will have advanced skills in the selection and synthesis of relevant material;
- be able to evaluate and analyse relevant material from a significant body of source materials, usually in a foreign language, at an advanced level;
- be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an advanced level of complexity;
- be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including postgraduate study.
Teaching Information
Two seminar hours per week across one teaching block (22 contact hours)
Assessment Information
One of the following:
a) A written assignment of 3000 words and a two hour exam (50% each)
b) A written assignment of 3000 words (25%) and a three hour exam (75%)
c) One written assignment of 6000 words (or equivalent)
d) Two written assignments of 3000 words (50% each)
e) One oral presentation (25%) plus one written assignment of 1500 words (25%) plus one written assignment of 3000 words (50%)
Reading and References
Essential Reading:
- Guy Austin, Contemporary French Cinema (Manchester University Press: Manchester, 1996).
- Guy Austin, Stars in Modern French Film (Arnold: London, 2003).
- Susan Hayward, French National Cinema, second edition, (Routledge: London, 2005).
- Lucy Mazdon (ed.), France on Film: Reflections on Popular French Cinema (Wallflower: London, 2001).
- Michael Temple and Michael Witt (eds.), The French Cinema Book, (BFI: London, 2004).
- Ginette Vincendeau, Stars and Stardom in French Cinema, second edition, (Continuum: London, 2005).
