NES 6793 - Middle Eastern Cinema

Fall. 4 credits.

D. Starr.

This course offers an introduction to films produced in the Middle East. We will view and analyze films from: the Arab world, including North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean; Turkey; Israel; and Iran. Readings will provide background on the cultural and historical contexts in which the films are produced, and will familiarize students with techniques for critically interpreting visual media. Film production in the Middle East emerged out of national film industries. We will consider how films construct, reshape, and critique the nation. We will also consider how films transcend national borders, and discuss how foreign financing and international markets have influenced filmmaking in the Middle East. Along the way, we will also address the effects of various forms of censorship on filmmaking in the region.