Comparative Literature 382 - Cinema And Psyche

Exploration of contemporary international cinema. Focus on comparative representations of nationality, childhood, and social dislocation. Topics addressed: inscriptions of the autobiographical; trans-cultural readings of visual texts; cinematic constructions of gender and subjectivity; dreams, fantasy, and memory; the "family romance." (Gen.Ed. AT)

This course explores representations of childhood and family in contemporary world cinema, placing particular focus on migration, war, and social movements. Students can expect to develop strong skills in film analysis; gain familiarity with debates about aesthetics, audiences, and authorship; consider how major directors address issues of gender, ethnicity, nationality, and race. Films will be screened in their original language versions with English subtitles. All readings will be available on Moodle. Requirements: Attendance at lectures, screenings, and discussion sections; weekly journal responses; midterm exam; final paper.