ST-Chinese Cinemas Contemporary Arts 337
Section: E100
Term: 2002 Fall
Instructor: Najat Dajani
Discussion Topics: India produces over 900 films a year, making it the world\202s largest film-producing nation. These films are viewed not just within the country, where they constitute the most important cultural activity but in all of South Asia (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka), Africa (including the Arab Maghreb countries of North Africa), South America, Eastern Europe, Russia and the Arab Gulf countries. These films are also imported into all major European and North American cities with a sizeable population of people of Asian and African descent. The popular Indian film is radically different in narrative form and content to the Hollywood model of entertainment. Consequently it offers its audiences an alternative to Hollywood and one that is more in keeping with concerns particular to developing countries. Critical studies on Indian Cinema, both in India and abroad, have been confined to just a handful of books and articles and most of these have tended to concentrate on the works of \214art\202 film directors such as the internationally renowned Satyajit Ray. This emphasis on highbrow art films tends to distort the understanding of Indian Cinema where the bulk of films are lowbrow, mass-produced for multi-cultural audiences from varied linguistic backgrounds within India. Lately, however there has been a noticeable shift in this trend with popular Hindi films gaining international popularity (Ashutosh Gowariker\202s Lagaan received an Academy Award nomination this year and Sanjay Leela Bhansali\202s Devdas had an official screening at the Cannes film festival \210 the first for Bollywood). The aim of this course is to provide an introductory look at Indian national cinema, both popular and artistic. Topics will include a historic overview of cinema in India, as well as an understanding of the main themes of the popular Hindi films. The class will also include an analysis of India\202s parallel or art cinema featuring directors such as Satyajit Ray as well as Diaspora filmmakers such as Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta and Gurinder Chada.
Grading: Grading will be on attendance and participation as well as assignments which may include an in-class essay, 20 minute presentation and leading a class discussion on one of the films as well as a research paper (10 \210 12 pages). This will be announced during the first week of classes. Late papers will automatically result in a lower grade. Any paper submitted later than November 27, 2002 will result in a zero "0" for the assignment. Plagiarism will automatically result in an "F" for the course.
Required Texts: Mishra, Vijay. Bollywood Cinema: Temples of Desire. New York: Routledge, 2002.
Recommended Texts: Students will be provided with an external reading list to help guide them in their study and research.
Suggested films:
Bandit Queen. Dir. Shekhar Kapur. 1994.
Bhaji on the Beach. Dir. Gurinder Chada. 1993.
Earth. Dir. Deepa Mehta. 1999.
Fire. Dir. Deepa Mehta.
The Home and the World. Dir. Satyajit Ray. 1984.
ST-Chinese Cinemas
Lagaan. Dir. Ashutosh Gowariker. 2001
Monsoon Wedding. Dir. Mira Nair. 2001.
Mother India. Dir. Mehboob Khan. 1957.
Pather Panchali. Dir. Satyajit Ray. 1955.
Salaam Bombay. Dir. Mira Nair. 1988.
Materials/Supplies:
Prerequisite/Corequisite: One of FPA 136, 137, 236, or 237.
Notes:
This outline is derived from a course outline repository database that was maintained by SFU Student Services and the University's IT Services Department. The database was retired in 2014 and the data migrated to SFU Archives in 2015.