Film Festivals: History, Theory, and Practice

Catalog description

This course examines film festivals as key cultural institutions from different angles: from the positions of the community, the motion picture industry, and the filmmaker. Through the lens of economics, politics, technology, and culture, this course will study the history of major film festivals and how they have both nurtured independent films and served as gatekeepers — all while playing a prominent role in producing, distributing, and exhibiting films around the world. The evolution of the film festival has seen its role expand beyond pure exhibition, broadening its influence to serve as a talent incubator, educator, and marketplace. Aspects of festival management will be addressed, including curation, event planning, logistics, print traffic, digital exhibition, public relations, marketing, partnership, and audience engagement. This course employs an experiential learning framework. There is an intensive and rigorous hands-on component wherein students produce the Tulane Student Film Festival this semester.