Spring 2017  |  AFRO 3654 Section 001: African Cinema (69750)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Class Attributes:
UMNTC Liberal Education Requirement
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
01/17/2017 - 05/05/2017
Mon, Wed 11:15AM - 12:30PM
UMTC, West Bank
Blegen Hall 240
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
Films by African filmmakers from West, Central, and Southern Africa. Aesthetic, theoretical, and sociocultural issues will be explored through class screenings and critical readings.
Class Description:
This course introduces you to films written and directed by African filmmakers beginning the 2nd part of the 20th Century. Through an exploration of the stylistic and thematic issues raised by each film, it is expected that students will gain a broad understanding of how African filmmakers portray African social and cultural life, including the artistic and political contexts within which they work. In this way, students will confront the basic social, cultural and aesthetic questions raised by African filmmakers and critics, gain an historical perspective on the origins of African filmmaking, and consider how questions raised by African filmmakers and their films fit into the larger context of world cinema. Moving beyond strict categories and standards we will also examine the role of documentary in shaping our understanding of people's lives and the social construction of reality. We will examine the role of documentary film in the current media-scape and discuss its functions and limitations. We will contrast postcolonial African films with Hollywood jungle epics and colonial movies about Africa. The films will be screened in original languages with English subtitles.
Grading:
Class Participation (25 %); Reading Questions & Summary (25%); Review Essays (25%); Final Project (25%)
Exam Format:
Class Participation (25 %); Reading Questions & Summary (25%); Review Essays (25%); Final Project (25%)
Class Format:
30% Lecture;
30% Film/Video;
30% Discussion;
10% Small Group Activities
Workload:
2-3 Film Viewings Per Week; 50-75 Pages Reading per week; 30 Pages Writing Per Term; 4 Essays Per Term; 10 In-Class Writing Exercises & Homework Assignments; One Final Project
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/69750/1173
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
1 July 2015

ClassInfo Links - Spring 2017 African Amer & African Studies Classes

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