Film Studies 382 - Film at the End of the World

Global pandemics, mass extinction, climate change, alien invasions, celestial events, cataclysmic wars, dehumanizing dystopias, zombie apocalypse, the rise of A.I., prophesied apocalypse. In this class, we will study the cinema of ultimate endings, examining an international selection of films and analyzing the philosophical, psychological, cultural, and aesthetic questions raised in end-of-the-world narratives. What do films about the end of the world tell us about contemporary realities and cultures in different parts of the world? How do they speak to historical realities? How do these films comment on issues of race, gender, sexuality, age, or ability in their world-ending scenarios? What insights do they offer into the cultural contexts that produce them? How do they reflect prevailing anxieties and fears about the future as well as hopes and aspirations? How does the genre of end-of-the-world films intersect with other genres - thriller, action film, neo-noir, comedy, art-house, romance, drama, experimental, etc. - Ultimately, what is the appeal of these films, and what contributions do films in this genre make? (Gen. Ed. AT)