FMST50

Spring2015

PatriciaWhite
K111A,x8148,pwhite1
Screenin
g:710LPACCinemaOfficehrs:M112
TTh:11:2012:35,K116
TTh9:3010:30andbyappt.
WHATONEARTHISWORLDCINEMA?
CourseDescription
Inthe21stcenturyfilmfestivalsandblogsdevotedtocinemaareproliferatingevenasnew
technologieshaveledtopronouncementsonthedeathofthemedium.Whatdowemeanwhen
wetalkaboutworldcinema?Howandwhendidthisformationarise?HowdoesHollywoods
dominanceaffectit?Whatistherelationshipbetweenworldcinemaandnational/regionalfilm
cultures?What,infact,isnationalaboutnationalcinemas?Thiscourseprovidesacritical
contextandmappingstrategiesforthestudyofcontemporaryworldcinemaandintroduces
studentstotheoreticaldebatesaboutthecategorizationandglobalcirculationoffilms,aesthetics,
audiences,authorship,andconceptsofthetransnational.Wewillattendtothehistoryof
internationalismincinema,theroleoffilmfestivals,andshiftsinglobalpopularcinema.Rather
thanattemptasurveyofcontemporaryworldcinema,wewilldrawontraditionsandexamples
thatfocusissuesofparticularrelevancetounderstandingtheconceptanditsuses.
ClassMeetings&Screenings
Thefirstpartofeachclasswillbedevotedtointeractivelecturesandthesecondtodiscussion.
Tuesdaywewillcoverreadingandlargertheoreticalandhistoricalframeworks,lookingatclips
fromarangeoffilms.Pleasedothereadingforthedaylisted.Recommendedfilmsforeach
weekincludethoseIamlikelytoshowclipsfromandthoseyoumightconsultforyourown
research.EachThursdayonestudentwillfacilitatediscussionoftheweeksfilm.Ifreadingson
Moodledifferfromthesyllabus,theMoodlesiteiscurrent.Attendanceatscreeningsis
mandatoryandyouareexpectedtotakenotes(wewilldiscussnotetakingtipsinclass).Please
donotuseelectronicdevicesduringscreenings.Copiesofmostfilmswillbeonovernight
reserveatMcCabeLibraryforyourconsultation;pleasereturnreservematerialspromptly.If
theyarecheckedout,pleasecontactme.Pleasefeelfreetoconsultwithmeaboutcourse
procedures,materials,concepts,dynamics,etc.,inoroutsideofclass.Dontbeafraidtospeakup
ifyoudontunderstandsomething.Backgroundsandperspectivesofcourseparticipantswill
vary,whatwehaveincommonaretheassignedmaterialsandtheongoingdynamicwebuild.
Requirements
Attendance&classparticipation(20%):Thesuccessofthiscoursedependsonyourregular
attendance(atclassmeetingsandatallscreeningsunlessexcused,andoccasionallyatoutside
lecturesorfilms)andactiveparticipationinthediscussion.Youareexpectedtoreadthe
assignedtextsforeachweekaswellasclassmatesposts,cometoclassontimewithyour
readingandyourviewingnotes,andcontributetoclassdiscussionsinaspiritofconstructiveand

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engagingdialogue.Ifyouareunabletoattendaclasssession,pleaseemailmeinadvance.Any
morethanthreeundocumentedabsenceswillresultinalowergrade.
ResponsePapers(20%):Inadditiontoresponsepaperassignmentsgiveninclass,eachweek
severalofyouwillbeassignedtopostabriefresponse(1page)totheweeksfilmandatleast
onereadingonMoodleby7p.m.onWednesday.Yourresponseshouldshowthatyouhave
giventheissuesraisedbythereadingsandthefilm(s)somethought.Thesewillbethebasisof
discussionsopleaseincludespecificquestionsorobservations,pagenumbersofspecific
passages,referencestospecificscenes/sequences,etc.
Classfacilitation(10%):Drawingonyourpeersresponsepapers,prepareabriefoutlineand
discussionquestionsusingconcreteexamplesfromthefilmthatraiseissuesfromthereadings
(youshouldthinkofatleastoneclipyouwishtoshow).Youwillfacilitate2030minutesof
discussion.Oneofyouressaysonthemidtermandyourvideoessayprojectwillbebasedon
yourfacilitationweek.
Videoessay(10%)Dueweek11,athreeminutevideoonthetopicofyourfacilitationweek.
Youwillreceiveinstructioninthisproject.
Shortpaper(15%)Dueweek5,thispaperrespondstoapromptonconceptsofworldor
nationalcinemainrelationtoafilmscreenedforclassorselectedfromtherecommendedfilms.
Midtermtakehomeexam(20%):Takehomeexam,dueweek7.
Finalresearchpaper(25%):Duefinalsweek,thefinal10pagepapermayaddressany
approvedtopicthatengageswithissuesandreadingsdiscussedinclassandhasaresearch
component.Youwillbeexpectedtodevelopyourtopicinconsultationwithmeandtoresearch
relevantbooksandarticlestoconstructyourargument.Aprospectusandpreliminaryannotated
bibliographywillbedueweek12.
Textsavailableatthebookstore:
Required:
LindaBadley,R.BartonPalmer,andStevenJaySchneider,eds.TraditionsinWorldCinema.
RutgersUP,2006.(TWC)
Recommended:
StephanieDenisonandSongHweeLim,eds.RemappingWorldCinema.Wallflower,2006.
(RWC)
RosalindGaltandKarlSchoonover,eds.GlobalArtCinema.Routledge,2010.

GeoffreyNowellSmith(ed.),TheOxfordHistoryofWorldCinema.OxfordUP,1996.
NowellSmithsbookprovidesanexcellentoverviewofworldfilmhistoryfromthesilenterato
theendofthetwentiethcentury.Pleaseconsultthisbookforbackground.
Ifyouhavenotstudiedfilmbefore,pleaseconsultTimothyCorriganandPatriciaWhite,The
FilmExperienceoronlineresourceslinkedtothecourseMoodlesite.
Reservetexts:Allcoursetextsandfilmsaswellasadditionalhelpfulresourceswillbeon
reserveatMcCabe.CheckTripodforlistings.
Guidelinesforcitation:MLAcitationstyleispreferred;seetheguidetoPlagiarismandCitation
attheDept.ofEnglishLiteraturewebsite:http://www.swarthmore.edu/x10027.xml.Please
includedirectorandyearofreleaseinparenthesisafterthefirstmentionofafilmtitle.Credits
andreleasedatescanbefoundatIMDB.com.Youdonotneedtocitedialoguefromafilm.
Studentswithdisabilities:If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please
contact Leslie Hempling in the Office of Student Disability Services (Parrish 113) or
email lhempli1@swarthmore.edu to arrange an appointment to discuss your needs. As
appropriate, she will issue students with documented disabilities a formal Accommodations
Letter. Since accommodations require early planning and are not retroactive, please contact her
as soon as possible. For details about the accommodations process, visit the Student Disability
Service Website at http://www.swarthmore.edu/academic-advising-support/welcome-to-studentdisability-service. You are also welcome to contact me privately to discuss your academic needs.
However, all disability-related accommodations must be arranged through the Office of Student
Disability Services.
Classroompolicies:attendance(includingatscreenings);nophonesortabletsatscreenings;full
participationingroupwork;responsibilityforoccasionalattendanceatscreeningsortalks
outsideofscheduledclasstimes.Youwillbeexpectedtoengagewitharangeofimagesand
themes,someupsetting.Pleasedotheassignedreadingonthedayitisdue;ifyouhaveconcerns
aboutcontent,itisyourresponsibilitytoraisethisissuewithmeinadvance.

Thissyllabusissubjecttochangeduringthesemester.PleasecheckMoodlefor
updates.

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Spring2015

ProfessorPatricia

White
WhatonEarthIsWorldCinema?
WEEKLYSCHEDULE
Week1:TopographiesofWorldCinema
1/20

Lookover:FrancoMoretti,PlanetHollywood,MPAATheatricalMarkets

Report
HappyTogether(WongKarwai,1997,HongKong,96min.)
Optional:1/21 Mother of George (Andrew Dosunmu, 2013, US, 107 min.)
1/22

LciaNagib,TowardsaPositiveDefinitionofWorldCinema(RWC)
DudleyAndrew,AnAtlasofWorldCinema(RWC)
Optional:EstherYau,Intro:HongKongCinemainaBorderlessWorld
SCREENINGRESPONSE
Week2:TheArtofWorldCinema
1/27

ProfessorWhiteoutoftown,noclass
Introduction,TraditionsinWorldCinema
DavidBordwell,ArtCinemaasaModeofFilmPractice

Viewonyourown:onenonUSfilmamongtop21ofSightandSound2012CriticsPoll
(availableinLanguageResourceCenter);postshortessayapplyingoneideafrom
readingtodate:due1/289pmonMoodle
Chocolat(ClaireDenis,1988,France,105min.)
1/29

SteveNeale,ArtCinemaasInstitution
JudithMayne,pp.3347ClaireDenis

CLASSICARTCINEMARESPONSE
Optional:1/30 Ran(AkiraKurosawa,1985,Japan,162min.)
Week3:NeoRealismandItsAfterlives
2/3

PeterBondanella,ItalianNeorealism(TWC)

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CesareZavatini,SomeIdeasontheCinema(skim)
AndreBazin,AnAestheticofReality:NeoRealism
GeoffreyNowellSmith,FromRealismtoNeorealism
Recommended:BicycleThieves(VittorioDeSica,Italy,1948),Paisan(RobertoRossellini,
1946):TheWhiteBalloon(JafarPanahi,1995),ManPushCart(RahminBahrani,2005),
TreelessMountain(SoyongKim,2008)
PatherPanchali(SatyajitRay,India,1955,113min.)
2/5

SatyajitRay,fromOurFilms,TheirFilms
InterviewwithJafarPanahi
A.O.Scott,Neoneorealism

GROUP1RESPONSE
Optional:2/6 CrouchingTiger,HiddenDragon,(AngLee,2000,US/Taiwan,120min.)
FYI:

DeadlineforSocietyforCinemaStudiesUndergraduateConferenceproposals

Week4:NewWaves
2/10

RichardNeupert,TheFrenchNewWave(TWC)
FranoisTruffaut,ACertainTendencyinFrenchCinema
JamesTweedie,fromTheAgeofNewWaves
JeanLucGodardfromGodardonGodard

Recommended:CruelStoryofYouth(NagisaOshima,1960),Daisies(VraChytilova,1966),
ToukiBouki(DjibilDiopMambety,1968)
PierrotleFou(JeanLucGodard,France,1965,110min.)and
TheCelebration(ThomasVinterberg,Denmark,1998,105min.)
2/12

LindaBadley,DanishDogme(TWC)
VowofChastityandDogmeManifesto
ThomasElsaesser,FilmFestivalNetworks

GROUP2RESPONSE
Week5:QuestionsofThirdCinema
2/17

FernandoSolanas&OctavioGettino,TowardsaThirdCinema
GlauberRocha,AnAestheticsofHunger
JulioGarciaEspinosa,ForanImperfectCinema

Recommended:HouroftheFurnaces(SolanasandGettino,1968),BlackGod,White
Devil(GlauberRocha,1964),BattleofChile(PatricioGuzman,19756)
MemoriesofUnderdevelopment(TomasGutierrezAlea,1968,Cuba,97min.)
SalutlesCubains(AgnesVarda,1963,30min.)
Optional:2/18HarunFarockifilmsatHaverford
2/19

MichaelChanan,LatinAmericanCinema:FromUnderdevelopmenttoPostmodernism
JulianeBurtonCarvajal,MarginalCinemasandMainstreamCriticalTheory(skim)
RandalJohnson,PostCinemaNovoBrazilianCinema(TWC)
MyrthosKonstantarakos,NewArgentineCinema(TWC)

Recommended:LaCinaga(LucretiaMartel,2001)
Week6:PostcolonialSpaces
2/24

Stephen Crofts, Reconceptualizing National Cinema/s

Fredric Jameson, Third World Literature in the Era of Multinational Capitalism

Recommended:Xala(OusmaneSembene,1974,Senegal,119min.)
Fieldtrip:Timbuktu(AbderrahmaneSissako,Mauritania/France)
2/26

Teshome H. Gabriel, Towards a Critical Theory of Third World Films (optional)

FIRSTPAPERDUE
Week7:GenderandtheNationalBody
3/3

EllaShohat,PostThirdWorldistCulture
PatriciaWhite,fromWomensCinema,WorldCinema

Recommended:SilentWaters(SabihaSumar,2002),TheSyrianBride(EranRiklis,2004),
Grbavica(JasmilaZbanic,2006),WhereDoWeGoNow?(NadineLabaki,2010)
SilencesofthePalace(MoufidaTlatli,1993,Tunisia,127min.)
3/5

DoritNamaan,Woman/Nation:APostcolonialLookatFemaleSubjectivity
AndrewHigson,TheLimitingImaginationofNationalCinema

MIDTERMPOSTED
SPRINGBREAK

Week8:FourthWorldCinema
3/17 MichaelEvans,SeeingtheUnseen
MichelleRaheja,VisualSovereignty,IndigenousRevisionsofEthnographyand
Atanarjuat(TheFastRunner)(recommended)
Recommended:TenCanoes(RolfdeHeerandPeterDjigirr,2006),WhaleRider

(NikiCaro,2002)
Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) Zacharias Kunuk, 2001, Canada, 172
min.)
3/19

LuciaNagib,fromWorldCinemaandtheEthicsofRealism

MIDTERMDUE4PM3/20
Week9:NationalCinemas/FestivalFilms
3/24

AzadehFarahmand,NotesonRecent(InternationalAcclaimfor)IranianCinema
NegarMottahedeh,NewIranianCinema(TWC)
Recommended:ATasteofCherry(AbbasKiarostami,1997);Gabbeh(Mohsen
Makmalbaf,1996)
TheDayIBecameaWoman(MarziehMeshkini,2001,Iran,78min.)

3/26

MichelleLangford,AllegoryandtheAestheticsofBecomingWoman
ProfessorWhiteattendingSCMSmeetinLRCforvideoessayinstruction

IRANIANCINEMARESPONSE
Week10:ThePoliticsofDisplacement
3/31

HamidNaficy,fromAnAccentedCinema
LiviaAlexander,IsThereaPalestinianCinema?

Recommended: A Girl Who Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour, 2014)
Divine Intervention (Elia Suleiman, 2002, Palestine, 92 min.)
4/2

Richard Porton, Notes from the Palestinian Diaspora:

AnInterviewwithEliaSuleiman
EliaSuleiman,TheHiddenConscienceofEstimatedPalestine

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HamidDabashi,InPraiseofFrivolity:OntheCinemaofEliaSuleiman
Week11:TransnationalChina
4/7

YingjinZhang,Cinemaandnational/regionalcultures
SongHweeLim,CriticalTransnationalism

Recommended:Platform(JiaZhangke,PRC,2000),She,AChinese(GuoXiaolin,2009)
WhatTimeIsItThere?(ThaiMingLiang,2001,116min.)
4/9

JeanMa,fromMelancholyDrift
JamesTweediefromTheAgeofNewWaves

VIDEOESSAYDUE
Week12:ExportingPopularCinema
4/14 RaviVasudevan,TheMelodramaticModeandtheCommercialHindiCinema
KaushikBhaumik,ConsumingBollywoodinaGlobalAge:TheStrangeCaseofan
UnfineWorldCinema
Recommended:PK(RajkumarHirani,2014;DilSe(ManiRatnam,1998)
OmShantiOm(FarahKhan,2007,India,162min.)
4/16

CoreyCreekmur,PopularHindiCinemaandtheFilmSong(TWC)

PAPERPROPOSALANDBIBLIOGRAPHYDUE
Week13:Documentary/Ethics
4/21 FranzFanon,fromWretchedoftheEarth
JillGodmillow,KilltheDocumentaryasWeKnowIt
AdrianDanks,TheGlobalArtoftheFoundFootageFilm(TWC)
Recommended:ConcerningViolence(GoranOlsson,2014Sweden,78min.)
ActofKilling(JoshuaOppenheimer,2012,US,115min.)
4/23

FilmQuarterlydossieronActofKilling

Week14:GlobalBlockbusters

4/28

ArjunAppardurai,DifferenceandDisjunctureintheGlobalEconomy
ChrisBarry,WhatsBigabouttheBigFilm?
Snowpiercer(BongJoonho,SouthKorea,2013,126min.)