Home Movies: Italian Families on Film
ITAL 242
Spring 2014
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01
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What is "the family" in Italy's contemporary social and cultural context? How has it changed over time? How has it responded to the transformations of Italian society since the time of the postwar economic miracle until today? Have its contours changed to adapt to new values? Has it fossilized existing values? Are families limited to flesh-and-blood kinship or are they constructed along lines of shared values and loyalty? This course seeks some answers to these questions through a sustained exploration of a variety of types of families as they are presented in Italian cinema from roughly 1960 until today. We will take stock of the "traditional" family and the traditional social values connected to it, seeking to understand how filmmakers, through their focus on the family, enter into the debate concerning tradition and change within the social context. In addition to conventional families, we will also examine the elective family that takes shape as the Mafia family. Finally, we will also explore some examples of contemporary families that challenge the traditional paradigm, for example, single-parent and same-sex families. After discussion of critical readings in sociology and anthropology that will help frame our examination throughout the semester, we will concentrate on film texts. This course is conducted through the medium of Italian. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA RLAN |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: ITAL221 OR ITAL222 |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ITST)(RMST) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Films:
Rocco e i suoi fratelli (Luchino Visconti, 1960)
Marriage, Italian Style (Vittorio De Sica, 1964)
Teorema, (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1968)
The Seduction of Mimì (Lina Wertmuller, 1972)
Ecce bombo (Nanni Moretti, 1978)
Il ladro di bambini (Gianni Amelio, 1992)
Placido Rizzotto (Pasquale Scimeca, 2000)
Le fate ignoranti (Ferzan Ozpetek, 2001)
Gomorra (Matteo Garrone, 2008)
Lo spazio bianco (Francesca Comencini, 2009)
La nostra vita (Daniele Luchetti, 2010)
Mine vaganti (Ferzan Ozpetek, 2010)
COURSE READER
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Examinations and Assignments:
Examination and Assignments
2 short papers; 1 longer, final paper; presentation; quality participation; preparation of discussion questions
Each week, we will screen one primary film, which will anchor our discussions. We will also have occasion to consider secondary films that could be considered "companions" of the primary texts. Beginning with the third week of the semester, students will to make 10-15-minute presentations of supplementary films that will add further grounding to our understanding of the themes and issues raised by the films drawing our primary focus. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
THIS COURSE IS INTENDED PRIMARILY FOR THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS: those who have a) completed the 221-222 sequence; b) who have studied in Italy (for one or two semesters); c) whose experience with Italian is very recent (i.e., took a course numbered above 221 in Fall 2012 or studied in Italy during that time). This course may be suitable for students who have not completed a course at the 221-222 level but whose placement exam suggested they should take courses numbered above 221. In the event that a student with advanced reading, writing, and speaking abilities in Italian has not yet completed a course at the 221-222 level, s/he will be asked to conduct a brief oral interview with the professor during registration or during drop/add. In the event that the student does not meet the prerequisites AND the professor has any doubts as to placement, the student will be asked to engage in a brief oral interview to help determine placement. |
| Instructor(s): Bellocchio,Letizia Times: .M.W... 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK116; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 18 | | SR major: 7 | JR major: 4 | | |
| Seats Available: 9 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 1 | SO: 3 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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