Journey into this fascinating period of world film history.

There are no available registration dates at this time.

NOTE: This course will be held in an online format, utilizing the Zoom platform.
Class meets Tuesday Night 7-9pm ET for Eight Weeks

Image from “Breathless” (1960) – Jean-Luc Godard

The end of World War II saw the birth of a truly global cinema. Sometimes emulating, sometimes in sharp dialogue with, both the dominant American film industry and the creative innovations of the French New Wave and Italian Neorealism, new and vibrant national cinemas defined themselves. During this same period, American culture itself changed, and voices previously relegated to the social margins began to make themselves heard. We will spend the first half of this 8-week course exploring the development of new national cinemas in the postwar period (Japan, India, the Czech Republic, the New German Cinema, and more), and the second half to the diversification of filmmaking within the US (the New Hollywood period and postwar contributions by African-American, women, and LGBT filmmakers). From this course students will gain a vivid sense of the international and pluralistic dialogue that has led to the cinema of today.

NOTE: Depending on the streaming services currently used by participants (Netflix, Amazon, etc.), students may incur additional costs ($20-30) to stream assigned films at home.

Header Image:  Aidan Bliss

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Instructor: Kenneth James

Kenneth James (M.F.A., Ph.D.) has worked in nonfiction television as a screenwriter, producer, director, and editor.  At Maine Media and elsewhere, James has taught courses in the histories of narrative film, documentary, animation, and film noir, as well as screenwriting, directing, animation, pre-production, and more.

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