| Description: | Italian cinema has been extremely influential in the development of international cinema. Completely reinvented after the Second World War and shaped by the intellectual and visual movement known as Neorealism, the Italian 'seventh art' has produced important directors who have combined an interest in national, social and political issues with a very strong personal style. Their work opens a window onto the complexity of Italy as well as their own complex personalities. Through the analysis of their films and through pertinent film criticism and theoretical essays, students will focus on one such artist. Students will discover that the study of cinematic masters touches on a wide range of disciplines, including creative writing, photography, fine arts, art criticism, history, culture, Italian literature, sociology, communication and mass media. The course will focus on a different Italian cinematic master in different semesters. |