CINEMA HISTORY AND CRITICISM

The course is included in the historical-artist course of the Egart curriculum and it is conceived as a transversal history of the main international cinematographies from their origin up till nowadays. Furthermore, with the support of excerpts from different movies, some of the main filmmakers’ profiles will be considered in details, so as to cross the stilistic, narrative and technological progress in the history of cinema.

The aim of the course is to provide tools for knowledge of the main movements and experiences in the history of cinema.
1. Knowledge and understanding
Acquisition of a set of useful elements for an in-depth study of the dynamics of film production, starting from the knowledge of technical terminologies related to cinema. to the definition of performing arts disciplines and their theoretical and historical characterization. Acquisition of bibliographical tools useful to deal with texts decipher their forms and contents, and historical and cultural reasons. In addition, the international approach to the history of cinema allows an in-depth study of the sociological, historical, and economic dynamics that have marked the evolution of the seventh art.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.
To be able to conduct analyses of film texts, with particular reference to the multiple valences of peculiar instruments of interpretation, such as the concepts of montage, author, and spectator.
3. Judgement skills.
To have elements of film text analysis and correctly use the most recently updated bibliography.

No specific prerequisite is requested.

Styles, genres, cultural movements of the international history of cinema. The course will start from the pre-cinema, considering the evolution of the instruments invented for the vision of “moving images”, initially for a private, then for a collective vision. Starting from the European films of the origin (in particular France, Italy, England, Germany and Denmark), we will follow the birth and development of American cinema and that of the major cinemas of the rest of the world. The main directors will be deepened during the lessons through the vision of film clips. At the beginning of the course, the various terminologies with which to analyze the films will be explained. The critical approach to film analysis will be a necessary tool during the lessons.

Paolo Bertetto, Introduzione alla storia del cinema - Autori, film, correnti (Quarta edizione), Utet, Milano, 2023
Additional material will be available in the file on Moodle

The final examination then consists of a one-hour written test in which four open-ended questions will be asked.
For grading (how marks will be awarded), irrespective of the attending or non-attending mode, we adhere to the definition criteria provided by the university, which are set out below:
A. marks in the 18-22 range will be awarded in the presence of:
- sufficient knowledge and applied understanding concerning the syllabus;
- limited ability to collect and/or interpret data, making autonomous judgments;
- sufficient communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language relating to the economic operation of public services;
B. scores in the 23-26 range will be awarded in the presence of:
- discrete knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus;
- discrete ability to collect and/or interpret data, making autonomous judgments;
- fair communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language relating to the economic operation of public services;
C. scores in the 27-30 bracket will be awarded in the presence of:
- good or very good knowledge and applied comprehension skills with reference to the syllabus;
- good or very good ability to collect and/or interpret data, making autonomous judgments;
- fully appropriate communication skills, especially in relation to the use of specific language relating to the economic operation of public services.
D. Honours will be awarded in the presence of knowledge and applied understanding with reference to the syllabus, excellent judgment and communication skills.

The lessons will take place with a frontal methodology, but a seminar type interaction is strongly encouraged.

Italian

written