Academic year: 2024-25
Course: Introduction to Film History
Credits: 3
Period: First semester
Number of hours: 24
Teacher(s): Livia Giunti (liviagiunti@gmail.com)
Language of instruction: English
Course Description
The course will provide an overview of the film history and film language. It will be
particularly focused on (1) the origins, the silent era and the star system; (2) the
introduction of sound and the Hollywood genre system; (3) the cinema in Italy under the
Fascist regime and Neorealism; (4) modern cinema in Europe and United States (New
Waves); (5) contemporary perspectives and new trends of cinema.
Course Goals
This course is aimed at providing a starting knowledge of film history from the origins of
the medium up to the present. It will be structured chronologically and will focus on key
moments in cinema’s development that are particularly significant from a historical,
cultural, political and aesthetic perspective. Through selected key films and key authors
students will learn to identify and critically examine movies of the different periods; they
will also become familiar with the main film genres and cinema language issues (shooting
and editing techniques and theories, acting style and sound issues).
Methodology
The course is designed with a participatory approach. After an introductory lecture led by
the teacher in relation to a key period, we will focus on a key film which will be analyzed in
class. Students will be encouraged to share their impressions and understanding of the
film and of the culture and society of the specific period. They will learn to analyze a film
in relation to language, industrial and socio-cultural aspects.
Required Text(s)
Teacher will provide slides and texts to study that you can find on the Moodle platform.
The reading of Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, The History of Cinema: a very short introduction
(Oxford University Press, 2017) is highly recommended.
Grade components
Attendance and participation (30%)
Oral final exam (70%).