The aim of this introductory course on Contemporary Asian Cinema is to acquaint students with significant films from the major countries in Asia and how these films reflect and comment on profound social, political, and historical changes that have occurred in recent decades. The course will investigate recent films from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, and a Vietnam, including those made by the diaspora. These films will be approached through a variety of critical perspectives, including formalism, auteurism, and genre theory, watching art films, mainstream commercial films, and films that fall between these two categories. While examining universal themes embodying roles, customs, culture, relationships, identity, and such critical concerns as diaspora, hybridity, transnationalism, an attempt will be made to discern the effects of globalization on the Asian film industry and its changing relationship with Hollywood.

Course information: Summer Session II: 6 July – 13 Aug 2010, MWF 2:00-4:15pm, 3 credits

For information/override permission contact Asian Studies Office 956-6085

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