Studying at York
Filming the Nation: Cinematic Representations of Modern Italy - LAN00038I
Module summary
From the post-World War II period to the present, Italian cinema has played a significant role in describing the dynamics and transformation of Italian society and, to a certain extent, in shaping collective and often conflicting narratives of national identity. This module, conducted in Italian, explores key themes in modern Italian history and society and analyses how these themes are negotiated in post-war and contemporary Italian films.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23 |
Module aims
The aims of this module are:
- to increase students’ awareness of key themes in modern Italian history, culture, and society;
- to provide a grasp of the role of post-war Italian cinema in the shaping of modern and contemporary Italy;
- to enhance students’ ability to analyse and discuss a variety of topics in the target language.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should demonstrate:
- a thorough knowledge and understanding of the key themes and films;
- an awareness of the main issues surrounding the role of post-war Italian cinema in Italian culture and society;
- an ability to analyse the cinematic narratives in relation to the key themes discussed;
- an ability to articulate views and defend positions in the target language;
- a good level of accuracy in the production of both the written and spoken forms of the target language
- a good level of fluency and communicative skills in the target language
Module content
From the post-World War II period to the present, Italian cinema has played a significant role in describing the dynamics and transformation of Italian society and, to a certain extent, in shaping collective and often conflicting narratives of national identity. This module, conducted in Italian, explores key themes in modern Italian history and society and analyses how these themes are negotiated in post-war and contemporary Italian films. Key themes may include but not be limited to: Italian Risorgimento, Fascism and Resistance, the ‘Southern Question’, old and new migrations, gender and social change, the world of labour. For each theme, two films will be used to describe traditional and contemporary approaches to the issues discussed. Reference will be made also to the historical and cultural context, analysed through a selection of key texts. The module will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 60 |
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 40 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module 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 the University 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
- 1500-word essay in the target language
- An online exam
Feedback: Written feedback to be provided within 20 working days.
Indicative reading
A full reading list will be provided by the tutor. The selection of key texts will be based on the key themes discussed in the module.
Extracts from the following texts on the role and history of Italian cinema will be added to the theme-based reading list:
- Gian Piero Brunetta, Guida alla storia del cinema italiano (Einaudi, 2003).
- Gian Piero Brunetta, Il cinema italiano contemporaneo: Da “La dolce vita” a “Centochiodi” (Laterza, 2007)
- Vito Zagarrio, La meglio gioventù: nuovo cinema italiano 2000-2006 (Marsilio, 2006)