Considered as the “seventh art” by European critics and artists, cinema has played a significant role in the continent’s politics and culture. Over the past three decades, Europe has undergone important social and political changes: the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the subsequent collapse of Soviet domination in Eastern Europe and the rapid expansion of the EU. In the background of these dramatic changes, cinema has played a crucial role in highlighting, challenging and re-visiting significant discourses that reflect today’s changing European arena, such as immigration, increasing multiculturalism, politics of diversity and ecology. This module aims to answer what is European cinematic identity and how it is changing in the light of historical, political, economic and social developments. It will examine the cultural and historical contexts that underlie new European cinema while paying close attention to its significant narratives, styles, and genres. Topics will include Romanian minimalist cinema, ecology in Nordic films, New Croatian Cinema, migration and diaspora in recent films.

Chaudhuri, Shohini (2005) Contemporary World Cinema: Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp. 14-34.

Everett, Wendy (2005) European Film and the Quest for Identity, in Wendy Everett (ed.) European Identity in Cinema, Bristol and Portland: Intellect, pp. 7-14.

Galt, Rosalind (2006) The New European Cinema: Redrawing the Map, New York, Columbia University Press, pp. 1-25.

Gilić, Nikica (2015) New Croatian Cinema: Literature and Genre in the Post-Yugoslav Era, in Lenuta Giukin, Janina Falkovska and Desser David (eds.), Small

Cinemas in Global Markets: Genres, Identities, Narratives, Lanham, Boulder, New York and London: Lexington, pp. 151-169.

Kääpä, Pietari (2014) Ecology and Contemporary Nordic Cinemas: From Nation-building to Ecocosmopolitanism, London and New York: Bloomsbury, pp. 27-51.

Loshitzky, Yosefa (2010) Screening Strangers: Migration and Diaspora in Contemporary European Cinema, Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, pp. 94-117.

Nasta, Dominique (2013) Contemporary Romanian Cinema: The History of an Unexpected Miracle, London and New York: Wallflower Press, pp. 155-179.

Wayne, Mike (2002) The Politics of Contemporary European Cinema: Histories, Borders, Diasporas, Bristol and Portland: Intellect, pp. 75-92.

Wood, Mary (2007) Contemporary European Cinema, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, pp. 52-95.

Cook, Pam (ed.) (2007) (3rd edition) The Cinema Book, London: British Film Institute.

Ezra, Elizabeth (ed.) (2004) European Cinema, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.

Elsaesser, Thomas (2005) European Cinema: Face to Face with Hollywood, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.

Fowler, Catherine (ed.) (2002) The European Cinema Reader, London and New York: Routledge.

Regular class attendance – attending at least 70% of lectures and
seminar sessions;
Fulfilled seminar duties  – students are expected to do a presentation on a topic of their interest related to the course. This presentation is compulsory and students are expected to deliver it both orally and in written format.

Film viewing is mandatory for a minimum of thirteen (one per week) contemporary European productions. 

Class activities: 2 exams (written) and seminar presentation (oral and written)
Final exam (written)

Final course grade is based on 100 points earned through student’s
continuous involvement in class activities:
Fair (2) – 50 to 64 points
Good (3) – 65 to 79 points
Very good (4) – 80 to 89 points
Excellent (5) – 90 to 100 points
Earning credits:
Class activities contribute to 70% of the grade:
Seminar presentation – maximum 20 points
First exam – maximum 25 points
Second exam – maximum 25 points
Final exam contributes to 30% of the grade:

Final exam – maximum of 30 points (50% of correct answers
necessary for passing)