Courses > 2018 Fall

Electives

CIMS 202 - GLOBAL GENRES

ENGL 292 | ARTH 289
401 | SEM | Meta Mazaj | TR 3-4:30pm | FBH 244

The processes of globalization, transnational exchange, modern technologies, and heightened cross-cultural awareness have led to an increasingly global nature of film. This course will explore cinematic border-crossings and cultural connections through global genres such as the Western, horror movie, warrior/action film, road movie, among others.  The premise of the course is that genre is a useful gateway to map contemporary world cinema and understand the various cross-currents shaping different film cultures. Genres such as the Western or horror movie are both culturally rooted as well as transnational genres that reflect both the particularities of a nation and its industry, and its position on a global stage. Through a close study of particular films and genres (from China, India, Japan, Latin America, etc.), we will address core issues about aesthetics, industry, culture, history, theory, and explore the tensions and dialogue between cross-cultural aesthetic and narrative models on the one hand, and indigenous traditions and historical contingencies on the other.