FLM 336 - African American Cinema

Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR (students beginning prior to Fall 2024): Meets general academic requirement DE.
This course surveys African American filmmaking from the silent era to the present, along with a few films that represent the broader African Diaspora. In addition, readings put all the films in the context of theoretical discussions concerning what constitutes “Black,” “African,” or “Third Cinema,” politically and aesthetically. As the course proceeds chronologically, it briefly demonstrates images of African Americans in mainstream Hollywood films but focuses primarily on how filmmakers of African descent have sought to respond to mainstream representations and create their own narratives and styles.
Attendance at weekly screenings is required.