116-041 French Cinema Since the New Wave

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

116-007 French I: Cultural Perspectives and 116-008 French I: Language in Context II or equivalent. European studies students wishing to enrol in this subject would normally have completed first year European studies, see Prerequisites.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject explores the New Wave in its social context; 'auteur' theory; cinematographic language; representations of social change; representations of an historical obsession (WWII); the postmodern French thriller ('polar'). On completion of the subject students should demonstrate familiarity with the practices and theoretical concerns of New Wave and post-New Wave film-makers in France; be able to analyse the social and cultural processes represented in selected films from the period studied; demonstrate an awareness of postmodern film criticism.

Assessment

A 25-minute class paper subsequently written up and totalling 1000 words, a film analysis of 1000 words, and an essay of 2000 words.

Prescribed Texts

• J Forbes, The Cinema in France after the New Wave. Indiana UP, 1994.
• G Austin, Contemporary French Cinema: An Introduction. NY, 1996.
• S Hayward & G Vincendeau (eds), French Film: Text and Contexts. Routledge, 1990.
• S Hayward, French National Cinema. Routledge, 1993.