FS 345 - Identity, Nation and Values in British Cinema

This course examines the role of British cinema in providing a window into the changing nature of British identity and society since World War Two. Through the study of key films across the past sixty years it charts the progress of political, social, and cultural change in Britain as represented in British film. Students examine the changing economic fortunes of British cinema and its effect on the development of British film style during each period. A strong emphasis is placed on studying the contexts in which the films were originally circulated and read. The course provides opportunities to engage with film events in London, e.g., London Film Festival in the Fall Semester, and the BAFTA Film Awards in the Spring.  Additionally, the course provides opportunities to know of the work of the British Film Institute archive and the course provides opportunities to utilize the resources of the British Film Institute archive and library, as well as steering students towards researching the locations, the stars, and directors of the London-based film.