Film and Politics (Level 5)

About this course

This course explores the relationship between film and political life from the 1920s to the present, focusing on cinema from France, Germany, Japan and Spain. Its themes include expressionism, urban transformation, dictatorship, alienation and social class, realism, censorship, allegory and genre. Participants consider how films respond to political developments, function as political instruments and reshape ideas of the political. They also examine films in relation to their production contexts and develop analytical approaches. Assessment consists of an in-class commentary test and a 2,500-word essay.

What you'll learn

• Analyse how films reflect and respond to political developments
• Relate individual films to the historical and cultural contexts of their production
• Examine how cinema can operate as a political instrument
• Evaluate the ways film can redefine the political
• Apply film analytical skills to commentary and extended written work

Is this course right for you?

Listed as suitable for learners at all levels, the course examines film through historical, cultural and political analysis rather than practical filmmaking. It involves an in-class commentary test and a 2,500-word essay, so participation includes both focused analysis and sustained written work.