50254 Contemporary Cinema

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: Writing and Contemporary Cultures
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 50136 Cinematic Cultures
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.

Handbook description

This subject asks students to view and reflect on particular national or regional areas, or moments of emergence, in recent filmmaking. Subject content may range over particular national cinemas which have become the object of new or renewed critical attention within an international context (e.g. Taiwanese and Hong Kong cinema, Iranian, German, Spanish, Canadian, Danish, Japanese, Italian, French and Australian cinema, etc.). A particular focus of the subject is to locate and analyse culturally significant and innovative practices in filmmaking in film cultures around the world. Students are asked to view a range of recent films and reflect critically on their relation to national character and transnational cultural formations.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

Identify and critically evaluate the formal techniques and thematic content of a number of innovative films from a broad range of countries and filmmaking contexts.
Define and apply key terms and critical concepts associated with the theory and history of selected national cinemas.
Recognize and critically evaluate forms of non-mainstream cinema using ideas and theories raised in the lectures, readings, and seminar discussions.

Teaching and learning strategies

Lectures, screenings, seminar discussions, written assignments, textual research, audio-visual research.

Content

In this subject, students will analyse the formal, stylistic and thematic elements of key films from a broad range of different national contexts.
In this subject, students will become conversant with some of the major arguments and debates around cinema history and theory, drawing on recent developments in film theory in their analyses of the work of a range of innovative contemporary directors.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Critical Analysis (1000 words)

Objectives	a
Value	25%
Due	In class in Week 6
Task	Focusing on one of the films screened in the first four weeks of the subject, produce a detailed analysis of the role that visual style plays in communicating the ideas, themes and issues raised by the film.
Assessment criteria	Demonstrated ability to: Understand critical scholarship related to the film (proportional to the length and scope of the assignment). Analyse the film's formal and stylistic characteristics. Demonstrate a close viewing of the film via your own original analysis and interpretation. Present the assignment in a coherently written and grammatically and typographically correct form with consistent scholarly referencing of sources.

Assessment item 2: Seminar Presentation

Objectives	a, b
Value	25%
Due	To be arranged
Task	Students are required to attend tutorials on a regular basis, participate in discussion and deliver one tutorial presentation, either individually or as a member of a group. The presentation should not simply summarise the readings. Students should raise relevant discussion questions around the film and weekly topic and are encouraged to present their own original interpretation of the film to the class. Your notes for the presentation must be handed to your tutor in class on the same day as the presentation. Your notes must be presented in a coherently written and grammatically and typographically correct form with consistent scholarly referencing of sources. You should also include a bibliography and a filmography of materials consulted for your presentation. Absence from more than three seminars without valid reason and supporting documentation could result in your final essay not being graded.
Assessment criteria	Recognise and apply critical concepts relevant to the interpretation of films introduced in lectures, seminars and/or subject readings. Identify and critically evaluate themes and stylistic elements in films screened and demonstrate an understanding of key concepts raised in the weekly readings. Generate class discussion around the film, readings and relevant concepts. Participate effectively in a variety of seminar exercises, including group discussion and reporting, seminar presentation, critical interrogation of subject readings, and analysis of screenings.

Assessment item 3: 2500 Word Essay (or project of comparative length/substance).

Objectives	a, b, c
Value	50%
Due	In class in Week 14
Task	A list of essay topics will be distributed in Week 6. Projects can comprise text and audio-visual materials (images, video clips, mpegs, sound recordings etc.) in different combinations and can be delivered in different formats. A short (two page) written synopsis of the project must be delivered with an assignment coversheet on the due date. A bibliography/filmography must be incorporated in the project materials. Students must consult their tutor before proceeding with a non-prescribed essay topic project whether it is to be produced as an essay or not. Please note that the topic of the final essay/project should not overlap with the topics/films explored in the first two assignments. mography must be incorporated in the project materials. Please Note: Students must consult their tutor before proceeding with a non-prescribed essay topic project whether it is to be produced as an essay or not.
Assessment criteria	Demonstrated ability to: Identify and effectively apply relevant concepts and themes in response to an essay question on a particular topic. Research and engage critically with critical scholarship related to the topic. Develop a clear and well-supported (by scholarly references and examples from films where relevant) argument in response to the essay question or chosen project. Demonstrate a close viewing of relevant films through a detailed analysis and interpretation of film sequences. Present the assignment in a coherently written and grammatically and typographically correct form with consistent scholarly referencing of sources or, in the case of a non essay-based project, present the work in an intelligible and accessible manner with consistent scholarly referencing of sources.

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Attendance is particularly important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas. Students who attend fewer than ten classes are advised that their final work will not be assessed and that they are likely to fail the subject.

Required text(s)

Compulsory readings are contained in the Contemporary Cinema Reader. Students are required to complete the weekly readings before each tutorial.