FREN 332: French Cinema

Course Description

A survey of French films from the experiments of the turn of the century to the trends of the present day. Representative silent films, "classic" and "new-wave" movies of the 1930's and 50's, as well as contemporary productions will be presented in their cultural context and the contributions of major French directors to filmmaking will be highlighted. Attention will also be given to the basic elements of film as a means of expression: camera angle, distance, movement, and editing. This is a Project-Based Learning course, which centers on a major project and/or on a research question related to the topic of the class and will imply hands-on work for a good portion of the semester. The project can be local or international community-driven and will connect to real-life experiences. (OC).