Sandrine Siméon

simeon@soka.edu

Office Hours: by apt (Ikeda 452)

This course surveys major directions in classical and contemporary film theory and criticism with an emphasis on the avant-garde, realism(s), auteurism, gender and race relations (postcolonialism, feminism, masculinity and queer theory), film and theater, the spectator, documentary and digital cinema. This course covers films from four continents and explores larger issues pertaining to the philosophical, ethical, political, institutional and cultural domains. At the end of the course, you will be able to produce your own definition of what film theory is and how it helps you to cogently talk about film. In discussing film aesthetics and conducting film analyses, you will also appreciate the fundamental links between form and content. 

During this LC, you will attend broadcasts from London’s National Theater, a musical and New York’s Metropolitan Opera. You will also visit a production studio (Paragon Media).

Film criticism: focuses on the quality of the film itself (acting, plot, cinematography, etc.) and gives pointers to those who are not specialists to help them appreciate it.

Film history: surveys the trends and changes in film topics or concerns and techniques (who were the filmmakers, the actors, etc.), film’s relationship with main socio-political events.

Film theory: is a tool, a sort of scaffolding to understand potential latent film contents and be able to cogently talk about them.