Introduction to Third World Cinema
Instructor: Laura Parsons. Email: @virginia.edu
Course number: AMTR 200.
Location/Time: Clemons 301 / MW 12:00 - 1:30
[Introduction] [Latin American] [African] [Middle East] [South Asia] [Southeast Asia]
Requirements:
Brief comments on each film screened in the class.These should not be less than one
paragraph but should not exceed one page - handwritten is fine as long as the writing
is legible.Ungraded. (10%)
Two typed 5 - 10 page papers.These
papers should reflect the student's ability to relate
issues discussed in class to specific films.Students are free to write about anything
relevant to the class, but, for those who are having trouble, suggested topics will be
provided.Students are asked to limit films discussed to those shown in class and
available on reserve. (20% each).
Midterm (20%).
Final (30%).
Readings:
Because the reading list is extensive and expensive, I suggest students pair up and split the cost of
a set of books.All books are available at the bookstore and on reserve at Clemons.All suggested
readings are also on reserve.
Available at the bookstore:
Armes, Roy, Third World Film Making and the
West, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of
California Press, 1987.
King, John, Magical Reels: A History of Cinema
in Latin America, London, New York:Verso, 1990.
Lent, John, The Asian Film Industry,
Austin:University of Texas Press, 1990.
Malkmus, Lizbeth and Armes, Roy, Arab and
African Film Making, London and New Jersey:Zed
Books, Ltd., 1991.
Mast, Gerald et al., Film Theory and Criticism:
Introductory Readings, 4th edition, New York:
Oxford University Press, 1992.
Sen, Krishna, Indonesian Cinema:
Framing the New Order, London: Zed Books, 1994.
Shohat, Ella and Stam, Robert, Unthinking
Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media,
London and New York: Routledge, 1994.
Ukadike, Nwachukwu Frank, Black African
Cinema, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994.
On Reserve:
Downing, John D.H., Film &
Politics in the Third World.
Ray, Satyajit, Our Films, Their Films.
Johnson, Randall, and Stam, Robert,
Brazilian Cinema.
Jan. 17 -Introduction of the course and instructor, administrative tasks.Begin answering the question "why study film?"Also talk about defining the "third world" and why these disparate geographic regions are often considered together.
Jan. 22 -Discussion of film in general and Western
preconceptions about film.Overview of third
world cinema and introduction of issues.
Required:
Mast, Gerald et al., Film Theory and
Criticism: Introductory Readings, pp, 52 - 58 and pp. 121 -
126.
Shohat, Ella and Stam, Robert, Unthinking
Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, pp. 1 -
12 and pp. 248 - 291.
Armes, Roy, Third World Film Making
and the West, pp. 1-49.
Jan. 24th: Overview of Latin American film.Introduction to January 29th film.
Required:
Armes, Roy, Third World Film
Making and the West, pp. 53-100 and pp. 163-187.
King, John, Magical Reels: A History of
Cinema in Latin America, pp. 1-77.
Jan. 29: Screening of "Black God, White Devil." (if available - otherwise,
film T.B.A.) [showed "Dona
Barbara" because the Rocha film didn't arrive in time]
Required:
Mast, Gerald et al., Film Theory and
Criticism: Introductory Readings, pp. 210-225.
Armes, Roy, Third World Film
Making and the West, pp. 255-267.
Suggested:
Shohat, Ella and Stam, Robert, Unthinking
Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and
the Media, pp. 55-136.
Jan. 31: Discussion of January 29th film.Focus on aesthetics and structure,
social constructions, concepts of good and evil.Introduction to Feb. 5 film.
Required:
King, John, Magical Reels: A
History of Cinema in Latin America, pp. 105-128.
(on reserve) Johnson, Randall, and Stam,
Robert, Brazilian Cinema, pp. pp. 68-71 and
pp. 134-148.
Feb. 5: Screening of "Strawberry and Chocolate."
Required:
King, John, Magical Reels: A
History of Cinema in Latin America, pp. 145-67.
Feb. 7: Discussion of Feb. 5 film.Focus on questions raised about societal values and self-image.
Feb. 12: Documentary and discussion.
Feb. 14: Historical overview of African film.Introduction to Feb. 19 film.
Required:
Ukadike, Nwachukwu Frank, Black
African Cinema, pp. 1-58 and pp. 156-245.
Feb.19: Screening of "Faces of Women" (if available,
otherwise film T.B.A.) [showed "Touki
Boukibecause Ecare s film didn't arrive in time]
Required:
Shohat, Ella and Stam, Robert, Unthinking
Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, pp.
292-333.
Ukadike, Nwachukwu Frank, Black
African Cinema, pp. 59-104.
Suggested:
(on reserve) Pfaff, Francoise, Twenty-five
Black African Filmmakers, pp. 95-106.
Feb. 21: Discussion of Feb. 19 film.Focus on aesthetics and structure,
gender constructions, social
constructions, concepts of good and evil.Introduction to Feb. 26 film.
Required:
Shohat, Ella and Stam, Robert, Unthinking
Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, pp. 178-219.
Feb. 26: Screening of "Wend Kuuni" First Paper due.
Feb. 28: Discussion of Feb. 26 film.Focus on questions
raised about societal values and
self-image.
Required:
Armes, Roy, Third World Film
Making and the West, pp. 281-292.
Malkmus, Lizbeth and Armes, Roy, Arab
and African Film Making, pp. 169-216.
Suggested:
(on reserve) Pfaff, Francoise, Twenty-five
Black African Filmmakers, pp. 173-183 and pp.237-256.
(on reserve) Downing, John D.H., Film &
Politics in the Third World, pp. 31-76.
Mar. 4: Documentary and discussion.
Mar. 18th: Historical overview of Middle Eastern. Introduction to Mar. 20 film.
Required:
Armes, Roy, Third World
Film Making and the West, pp.189-214.
Malkmus, Lizbeth and Armes, Roy, Arab
and African Film Making, pp. 1-62.
Suggested:
(on reserve) Downing, John D.H., Film &
Politics in the Third World, pp. 77-144.
Mar. 20: Screening of "Jackal Nights"
Mar. 25: Discussion of Mar. 20 film.Focus on
aesthetics and structure, gender constructions, social
constructions, concepts of good and evil, etc.
Required:
Malkmus, Lizbeth and Armes,
Roy, Arab and African Film Making, pp. 63-165.
Mar. 27: Historical overview of South Asian
film.Introduction to April 1 film.
Required:
Lent, John, The Asian
Film Industry, pp. 1-7 and pp. 227-277.
(on reserve) Thomas, Rosie, "Indian
Cinema - Pleasures and Popularity," Screen, May-August
1985, pp.116-131.
(on reserve) Iyer, Pico, Video
Night in Kathmandu, pp. 241-285.
Suggested:
(on reserve) Vasudevan, Ravi, "The
Melodramatic Mode and the Commercial Hindi Cinema,"
Screen, Summer 1989, pp. 29-50.
April 1: Screening of "Andhaa Kanoon"
April 3: Discussion of April 1 film.Focus on aesthetics
and structure, gender constructions, social
constructions, concepts of good and evil.Introduction to April 8 film.
Required:
Armes, Roy, Third World Film
Making and the West, pp. 105-134.
Downing, John D.H., Film &
Politics in the Third World, pp. 145-166.
April 8: Screening of "Pather Panchali"
Required:
Mast, Gerald et al., Film Theory and Criticism:
Introductory Readings, pp. 38-47.
Ray, Our Films, Their Films, pp. 30-37
and pp. 120 - 127 .
April 10: Discussion of April 8 film.Focus on questions
raised about societal values and self-image.
Required:
Armes, Roy, Third World
Film Making and the West, pp. 231-242.
April 15: Documentary and discussion.
April 17th: Overview of Southeast Asian film.
Introduction to April 22 film.
Required:
Lent, John, The Asian
Film Industry, pp. 149-225.
April 22: Screening of "Kembang Kertas" [would not use again]
April 24: Discussion of April 22 film.Focus on aesthetics
and structure, gender constructions, social
constructions, concepts of good and evil. Introduction to April 29 film.
Required:
Sen, Krishna, Film Theory
and Criticism: Introductory Readings, pp. 1-161.
April 29: Screening of "Surname Viet, Given name Nam" Second Paper due.
FINAL
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