Cinema and visual culture in South-Asia

This course is part of the "Visual Asia" Minor that will guide the student through a variety of artistic expressions and communication forms specific to certain regions of Asia, providing him with basic knowledge and critical tools to understand the visual culture of Asian societies, between tradition and modernity, also connected to expanding cultural industries and identity processes in continual transfiguration.

The aim of the module is to provide students from different scientific backgrounds with basic knowledge and tools to understand the figurative and visual languages ​​used in modern and contemporary South Asian societies, both for the purposes of self-representation and identity building. Lessons will include the illustration of case studies with film screenings and the use of audiovisual material. At the end of the course the student will be able to comprehend the importance of the visual production for the study of societies and historical periods, and deepen raised issues and themes in relation to the knowledges acquired during his studies; he will be also required to critically approach the theories formulated by critics and art historians.

The course does not require skills of a specific, linguistic or methodological basis. The necessary background for the comprehension of the proposed analysis will be provided. Nevertheless, a good knowledge of the English language in order to access autonomously to the bibliography is necessary.

Assessment will be by means of a final oral examination on the approached themes; great importance will be given to the students' attendance and active participation to lessons and discussions. The acquired knowledge, the appropriate use of the technical vocabulary, the ability to critically approach the proposed readings and themes and bring them in relation to their acquired knowledges will be assessed during the final examination. Furthermore, the student will be asked to prepare a short essay on a director or a film; the topic must be agreed with professor and the essay must be submitted one week before the final exam.

Frontal classes, viewing of emblematic films or films' sequences, students' presentations and the discussion of issues raised during the classes. The course will adopt a thematic approach. Through the analysis of films, directors, and movements discussions and a critical approach will be ecouraged.

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development