European cinema - French

Aims

Aims

By the end of the module students should:

• Be familiar with a number of European films and the cultural context they were produced in and/or the social, cultural historical context they refer to
• Have an increased understanding of French, German and Spanish social, cultural and historical issues
• Be able to analyse, research and compare films and show a deeper understanding of European culture and society
• Develop a good level of accuracy in the production of both the written and spoken forms of the foreign language
• Improve their fluency and communicative skills in the target language

Content
It is envisaged that the teaching will focus on three major themes of social and cultural issues in European society, such as:

• Dealing wath Trauma: European post-war society
• Between Left and Right: Ideologies in Europe
• A Parallel World: Multicultural Society

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Students must have successfully completed:

• First year German modules OR
• First year French modules OR
• First year Spanish modules
  

Programme

Programme

Contact hours

2 contact hours per week, of which:

• 1 hour lecture/seminar taught in English to all students registered on F/G/S 274, looking at society and culture and historical aspects relevant to understanding the films discussed in the seminars.
• 1 hour seminar per language taught in the foreign language looking at either French, German or Spanish films depending on the language chosen by the students and discussing social, cultural and historical aspects as portrayed in the films.

Teaching programme

The lecture/seminar will be taught in English. The seminars will be taught in French or German or Spanish, depending on the module code chosen by the students.

This language module will introduce students to society, culture and certain historical aspects through the medium of film. French, German and Spanish films will be viewed, analysed and put into a socio-historical perspective, while looking at further material in form of texts (media and literary texts), and other video/audio material giving an insight into background information necessary for understanding the films.

Team taught by German, French, Spanish teaching staff

Teaching materials

to be confirmed 

Some course material will be supplied by the tutor.

Assessment and feedback

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on formative work

Oral commentary and dialogue within class on oral and written language work. Given immediately both to individuals and to group.

Written comments and mark on U scale given to individual students for practice essays, with opportunity for individual consultation; the essays will be returned to students two weeks after seminar

Summative assessment and feedback

• 2000-word essay in the target language, Paper 1, term 3 
  • Weight: 60%
• Oral Exam in the target language (discussion of one or several films), term 3
  • Weight: 40%

Feedback: Individuals will be given a feedback sheet for the oral examination, and will be allowed to see their exam paper with comments, under supervision, at an appointed date after the external examiner has reviewed the papers.