Auteurism has arguably been at the center of film practice, theory and historiography since the 1950s. Originating in the work of the French New Wave, auteurism has shaped our understanding of many film cultures around the world and across different media beyond the cinema. This course will examine the history of auteurism as it has evolved from France to the U.S. and through national cinemas from China and India to Iran and Denmark. As part of this study, we'll investigate the changing theoretical terms of auteurism as it has adapted to the pressures of post-structuralist theory, feminist interventions, cultural and racial distinctions, and the challenges of new media.