Cinema Today

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 4
• Convenor: Muriel Temple
• Assessment: research report of 1000 words (25%) and a 3000-word essay (75%)

This module explores contemporary cinema as a cultural practice as well as an artistic activity and a technological phenomenon. There are two main questions underpinning the module: 'What are the key changes that cinema has undergone in recent years?' and 'How have these affected our experience as spectators and students of film?'

The module is structured around six key themes: movie-going, digital culture, world cinema, film festivals, film criticism, and film history, which are the way to address these questions.

The module aims to enhance your skills of film analysis and to introduce you to some essential theoretical texts in film studies. It directly raises questions around practices of contemporary cinema culture by offering you opportunities to meet film professionals working in the exhibition sector, and by exposing you directly to contemporary cinema culture by visits to the BFI library and film archives.

Indicative module content

• Movie-going
• The digital
• World cinema
• Film criticism
• History of cinema
• Film festivals
• Revision, essay workshop, surprise film

By the end of this module, you should:

• possess a deeper appreciation of contemporary cinema as a cultural practice
• appreciate the various forms of contemporary films in a global and digital era
• be able to identify and discuss various cultural practices of cinema today
• be able to theorise digital cinema
• be able to assemble and analyse a press review
• be able to identify and discuss the role of film festivals
• be able to carry out basic research in a specialised library.