Chinese Cinema and Contemporary Chinese Culture

Description

Like in the West, Chinese cinema has held a significant share in the cultural industry since the first film was made in China in 1905. Being a cultural product, film has always been seen as reflection of its contemporary culture, despite various aspects it might have taken. Taking primarily a Cultural Studies approach, this course introduces Chinese culture, especially a series of its contemporary phenomena by surveying Chinese cinema. The course will be taught in English and all films are subtitled. By viewing the eight prescript films in class and many more available in the well-resourced UC library on the course's recommendation and students' own interests, the course encourages students to further develop their study in one or more of the following areas: Studies of Chinese culture and society; Cross-cultural studies with a focus on China/Asia and beyond; Cultural studies with a special emphasis on postmodernism (including postcolonialism) and Third World culture; Film studies focusing on national cinema.