Art cinema

The history and development of the art cinema as a distinct film style and cultural institution. We will consider its origins in European avant-garde cinema of the 1920s and the later post-war emergence and growth of the European art film as a distinct form, one that offers both an alternative and a challenge to the dominant classical style of Hollywood cinema. We will also consider the art film’s emergence in the post-war period and after in national cinemas beyond Europe (e.g., East Asian cinemas). We will note the ways in which the art film differentiates itself from the classical style and how, despite its functioning across a range of national cinemas and directors, it often reflects a largely consistent approach to style. We will also note the art cinema’s key films and filmmakers while also evaluating key critical concepts relating to art cinema.