Chinese Cinema and Society

Catalog description

This course introduces students to Asian culture and cinema through the study of films from China. As we cover various of directors, genres, and forms, we will consider how cinema acts as s sign system involved in the construction of sociocultural and aesthetic meanings. Topics will include history, gender and representation, from rural to urban, action to martial arts films and personal filmmaking of nostalgia and disappearance. Many Chinese narrative films are based on novels; thus, Chinese literature is also a component of the discourse. Students will benefit from this course by learning non-Western culture expression in film, the means of production and distribution under the so called “ Chinese Style of Socialism:” system as well as co-production in China.