The course views Chinese cinema as a reflection of the emotions, imagination, collective
memory and consciousness of the Chinese people. It explores how these films engage with
both the historical and contemporary events in China, offering insight into the evolving concerns
and aspirations of Chinese society. In this course, Chinese cinema serves as a lens for
understanding these reflections and the retrospections of Chinese elites at the time of the films’
creation. Films are approached as a secondhand experience for viewers, providing access to
shifting historical and social discourses on China’s ever-changing political and cultural
landscape. The course also examines Chinese philosophies, institutions, and the current
realities of the country through documentary films, video-blogger postings in addition to the main
venue of feature films. The development of cinematic language, filming technology, genre
conventions, and acting styles in China are seen not only as artistic evolutions but also as
Chinese filmmakers’ responses to the cultural and political environments in which these visual
expressions take form
GE: Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts
Professor:
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