WMST 288 - Women and/in Cinema: a French Perspective

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

(Same as FFS 288 and FILM 288) Alice Guy-Blaché (1873-1968) is not a household name in the 21st century; it might surprise many of us to learn that she was a pioneer in filmmaking, and is credited with directing as early as 1896 one of the first fictional narrative films, La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy). Many French cinéastes have followed in her footsteps, making films that foreground women’s perspectives. This course highlights the long but not-always-recognized legacy of Guy-Blaché by considering the ways in which French cinematographers have harnessed the power of the cinematic medium to interrogate what it means to be “feminist.” Focusing on discussions of the effects of patriarchy on perceptions of gender and sexuality in France and by paying attention to (post)colonial histories that have shaped that nation’s complex response to the feminist turn, we analyze themes such as migration, class, gender politics and the roles that personal choice and ethics play in shaping women’s narratives. Possible filmmakers and films (in French, with English Subtitles) include: Agnès Varda (One Sings the Other Doesn’t [1977]), Brigitte Roüan (Outremer [1990]), Claire Denis (I can’t Sleep [1994]), Philippe Faucon (Dans la vie [2008], Fatima [2016]), Céline Sciamma (Girlhood [2014], Portrait of a Lady on Fire [2019]) Catherine Corsini (Summer Hours [2015]). Knowledge of French is welcome, but not required. Vinay Swamy.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS