Judaic Studies 491J - S- Holocaust Cinema

This seminar provides a cultural history of cinematic treatments of the Holocaust, traces major trends and changes in Holocaust representations, and raises questions concerning historical memory of the Holocaust in national cinemas. The seminar will progress historically from the first-ever cinematic depictions of Nazi anti-Semitism, to the current plethora of genres and styles of Holocaust films. The scope of issues discussed in this seminar is defined by two sets of tensions: first, tensions between history and narrative, and second between eastern and western understanding of the Holocaust. To address the first set of tensions, we'll discuss modes of representation in fiction and documentary films, cinematography, style, and language. To address the second set of tensions, we will compare and contrast representations of the Holocaust in the major national cinemas of the Soviet bloc, with those of the US and Western Europe. We will consider circumstances of films' production and circulation, including censorship, funding, distribution, audience and critical reception. All films and film excerpts are with English subtitles.