RUSS 155 - WW II in Russian Cinema (in English)

Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)

The most massive armed conflict in history, World War II also inspired an unprecedented number of films. Many of them are inevitably imbued with patriotic propaganda, yet others strive to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of war, an event that, in Leo Tolstoy’s words, is opposed to human reason and to all human nature. The course samples seminal Russian works of the genre produced from the late 1940s to our days against changing historical and ideological backgrounds. Special attention is given to cinematic masterpieces exploring war as an existential experience that probes the limits of humanity, such as The Cranes Are Flying (1957), Ivan’s Childhood(1962), The Ascent (1976), and Come and See (1985). Dan Ungurianu.

Taught in English.

Second six-week course.

Two 75-minute periods, plus weekly screenings.

Course Format: CLS