French film classics

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 2 hours / session

There are no prerequisites for this course.

This course offers a survey of French film classics from cinema's origins in the late nineteenth century to the present day. The class queries both the notion of "French" or national cinema and the idea of the "classic" film. It asks how we define French cinema and what assumptions and processes turn a film into a "classic." As such we will learn about the history of film production, exhibition, reception, aesthetics, and theory. As we move chronologically, we'll study the material context of film alongside French society and culture. We'll watch popular films alongside classic films, questioning what differentiates them. The course is taught in English, and films are screened with English subtitles. Students may complete written assignments in French.

Designations: This course fulfills the HASS-H requirement.

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

Williams, Alan. Republic of Images: A History of French Filmmaking. Harvard University Press, 1992. ISBN: 9780674762688. [Preview with Google Books]

Class Participation: Evaluated based on student's attendance, the demonstration of adequate preparation, and the quality (not just quantity) of oral participation.

Attendance Policy: If you sleep through class, you will receive a zero participation grade for that session. Students who miss more than 2 classes will automatically receive a failing grade.

Quizzes: 6 quizzes will test you on the content of readings, lectures, and films. These will not be announced in advance and cannot be made up if you miss them. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.

Responses: Each week students will write a response to the texts / film(s) for the week.

Presentation / Film Pitch: Working in groups of 2 or 3, students will give one 10–15 minute oral and visual presentation about a film and readings. Presentations must present an argument about the material and will be graded on content, clarity, engagement with the topic, and oral communication skills.

Outside Film-Going Experience Review: Students will attend one French film screened outside of our class and write a paper about the film and the film-going experience.

Final Exam: The final exam will test the knowledge of French film that students acquire over the course of the semester and their ability to construct arguments about the ideas we discuss. Quizzes and weekly responses will provide preparation for the final.

Citations: All written assignments must employ a standardized citation system (i.e., MLA, Chicago). Students must submit a list of resources consulted for their oral presentations.

Late assignments will lose one full letter grade for each day past the deadline. Assignments handed in a week late will automatically receive no credit. No extensions will be granted after an assignment's due date has passed.

Screenings: Most films will be screened Monday evenings. Monday screenings are recommended but not mandatory.

Cell phones must be silenced (not just placed in vibrate mode) and put away during class time. You may use laptops / tablets, but only to take notes or access information relevant to the topic at hand. If used for other purposes, laptops / tablets will be banned.

Enrollment is limited to 18 students for pedagogical purposes. Priority will be given to pre-registered students, including pre-registered undergraduates who were cut from the same class the previous semester due to the enrollment cap. In case of over enrollment, preference given to pre-registered declared French majors, minors and concentrators, followed by juniors, seniors, sophomores, continuing students, and freshmen (in that order), who attend the first day of class.

Students are expected to adhere to MIT's Academic Integrity policies. All work (research papers, weekly papers, presentations) must be completed independently, unless otherwise cleared by the instructor. Students are encouraged to discuss the readings and their papers with each other (they may, for example, want to practice their presentations for their classmates or have a classmate look over a draft of their film experience paper), but they are individually responsible for all written work.

Violating the Academic Integrity policy in any way (e.g., plagiarism) will result in official Institute sanction. Possible sanctions include receiving a failing grade on the assignment, being assigned a failing grade in the course, having a formal notation of disciplinary action placed on your MIT record, suspension from the Institute, and expulsion from the Institute for very serious cases.

Please review the Academic Integrity policy and related resources (e.g., working under pressure; how to paraphrase, summarize, and quote; etc.) and contact me if you have any questions about appropriate citation methods, the degree of collaboration that is permitted, or anything else related to the Academic Integrity of this course.

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