Documentary Film History and Criticism (313-0-70)

Instructors

Chafic Najem

Meeting Info

Northwestern Qatar Room 2-257: Mon, Wed 10:00AM - 11:15AM (AST)

Overview of class

This seminar explores the history and theory nonfiction cinema and media. We will engage foundational theoretical questions of the creative treatment of reality in film, and we will discuss how major movements in the history of documentary have responded to those questions with widely varying forms. Each of these shifts in documentary practice throughout its long history has challenged notions of cinematic truth in order address the social, aesthetic, and technological realities of its particular place and time. The course will focus primarily on feature-length documentary cinema, but it will also include some discussion of short-form, art-gallery, and web-based interactive documentary.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisites: None

Sophomores and above

Open for cross-registration

Satisfies Media and Politics Minor and & Film and Design Minor

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Registration is reserved for sophomore, juniors, and seniors only.