Free University of Berlin

This course invites students to explore and critically reflect upon the current state of German cinema since the year 2000 in a European context. The course is divided into two segments: the first introduces students to historical, cultural and critical paradigms pertaining to the current situation of European cinema; the second focuses on films produced in Germany. The course addresses film and authorship; art cinema and popular cinema; the concept of national cinema and world cinema; the formation of history, memory, and cultural identity in film; film production; and film culture. Students are introduced to a number of key German and European films from the last two decades. They acquire knowledge of theoretical discourses and critical concepts relevant to understanding and appreciating formal aspects of European cinema, and to examining contemporary German films in relation to their historical and cultural contexts. Film screenings are part of the course.

With the divide between mass culture and high art disappearing, popular culture has become a prolific field of study. This seminar considers the many facets and dimensions of pop culture, including its cultural history and the possibilities hidden within what is often assumed to be nothing more than entertainment. Some of the topics addressed are popular culture’s reflection of discourse, its capability of criticizing or affirming the status quo, and the various modes of ideology within. The course covers all relevant pop culture representations: film, television, comic books, fiction, music, paintings etc. and discusses their significance within the historical frame of reference as well as their international social impact. Secondary texts introduce a range of theoretical perspectives through which pop culture may be explored, analyzed, questioned, and understood. The course also discusses the function of pop culture in the public sphere, its representations in texts, images, and music.

Based on brief introductions to film analysis and the history of the Weimar Republic, the course discusses a representative selection of films. In addition, the course also deals with academic texts on the films. During the seminar students analyze key scenes together as examples. Previous knowledge of film analysis is not required, but students are required to watch one film per week and read additional shorter texts.