FR 35600 - Introduction To French Cinema

This course presents a chronological survey of French films, genres, and directors, from the Lumiere brothers to the New Wave. It will introduce students to basic techniques of film analysis. The course is conducted in French.

Preparation for Course
P: FR 20401 or equivalent or permission of the instructor.

Cr. 3.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Explain the characteristics of the major periods of French cinema from its invention to the present day.
2. Describe how a film reflects its historical context.
3. Identify the narrative and cinematic devices employed in a film, such as theme, point of view, mise-en scène, and composition, and relate them to the content of the film.
4. Discuss, orally and in writing, selected French films and their continuing aesthetic validity or challenge.
5. Write a coherent essay on given topics about these films and their contexts, supporting arguments with evidence.