The Department of Cinema and Theater Studies mainly focuses on the Italian theatrical scene and on Italian cinema, offering historical surveys and examining both traditional modes and themes and more contemporary issues. Through films, students will be able to acquire a deeper perspective of topics related to European politics, Italian society, fashion, art, the Second World War, and the Holocaust.
3 semester credits. This course traces the history of Italian cinema from the 1940s to the present day. The evolution of Italian cinema is explored through an overview of the different genres of movies, from Neorealism to the commedia all'italiana, the spaghetti western, and the auteurism of the 1960s, 1970s, and in contemporary times.
3 semester credits. The focus of this course is contemporary Italian cinema from the 1980s up to the present day. The following films will be studied in particular: Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso, Moretti's Polombella Rossa, and Benigni's La Vita è Bella. All films will be discussed with reference to political, social, and aesthetic issues in contemporary Italy. Please note that film viewing hours are scheduled outside of the regular class times.