Unit information: World Cinemas: from national to transnational in 2015/16

Unit name	World Cinemas: from national to transnational
Unit code	MODL23016
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. O'Rawe
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Modern Languages
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

Since its inception, film production and spectatorship have been transnational phenomena and the film industry has been characterised by its exchange of labour, technological expertise, and screen products across national boundaries. That said, the study of film has often focussed on the nation as that which is most securely expressed on screen and in relation to structures of production. This unit will introduce students to the history of national/transnational film production, and to contemporary debates about their interrelatedness. Through the detailed study of a range of cross-national films and through focussing on key issues such as stardom, adaptation, finance and production, and national identity, this unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the complexities of film culture in a global context.

Aims:

• To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to second 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 C.

• Some options may prepare students for the experience of the Year Abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful students will:

• be knowledgeable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;

• be skilled 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 a high level;

• be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an high level of complexity;

• be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including study at a foreign university and on work placements during the year abroad.

Teaching Information

Normally one lecture hour and one seminar hour per week across one teaching block (22 contact hours), often with student presentations. In units with a smaller number of students the lecture hour may be replaced by a second seminar or a workshop. Units involving film may require students to view films outside the timetabled contact hours.

Students will be provided electronically with a pack of essential reading material to be supplemented by more focussed reading for assessment tasks. They will be required to view at least one film per week using the resources of the MMC and expected to view a selected range of films over the semester. This reading and viewing will lead into the completion of both assessment tasks.

Assessment Information

1 x 1500 word Sequence Analysis (25%) plus 1 x 2500-word essay (75%).

Reading and References

Elizabeth Ezra and Terry Rowden (eds), Transnational Cinema: the film reader (2006).

Mette Hjort and Scott MacKenzie (eds), Cinema and nation (2000).

Stephanie Dennison and Song Hwee Lim (eds),Remapping world cinema :identity, culture and politics in film (2006).

Catherine Grant and Annette Kuhn (eds), Screening world cinema : a Screen reader (2006).