OVERVIEW

The “digital revolution” has contributed to profoundly modifying the face of criticism staking the critic’s role as “mediator” of the aesthetic experience and criticism as a cultural institution. Understanding these changes means studying social processes of formation of “taste” and evaluation of cultural production in general terms. To get the best from the course a solid basic knowledge of the history of cinema is necessary

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Examining the history of cinema criticism with particular reference to European events, its means of expression and its modes of circulation and cultural impact; developing analytical skills in relation to the main forms of criticism, in particular the review “genre”. 

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Thanks to the analysis of the history, practices and forms of cinema criticism the course aims for students to develop a better capacity to elaborate a critical discourse, a better understanding of the processes of evaluation of cultural production and a more subtle analytical competence vis-à-vis cinema and its texts. 

PREREQUISITES

Cinema history

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Programme for students taking the course for 6 cfu

The course analyses the history of film criticism, its forms and social and cultural functions. Particular attention is given to the study of the contemporary situation in which the advent of the internet has contributed to reconfiguring critique practices and institutions.

Another focus will be on the birth of “modern” criticism in French culture in the 1950s and the critic/production relationship of the Nouvelle Vague.

The course provides for a series of meetings with sectoral experts (critics, newspaper editors, cinema festival selectors and organisers).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

- C. Bisoni, La critica cinematografica. Metodo, storia e scrittura, Archetipolibri, Bologna, 2006
- R. Menarini, Il discorso e lo sguardo. Forme della critica e pratiche della cinefilia, Diabasis, Parma, 2018
- R. Menarini (a cura di), Le nuove forme della cultura cinematografica. Critica e cinefilia nell'epoca del web, Mimesis, Milano, 2012 (first and second sections)
- Essays uploaded on AulaWeb
- G. Carluccio, L. Malavasi, F. Villa, Il cinema. Percorsi storici e questioni teoriche, Carocci, Roma, 2015 (first section, "Percorsi storici")

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LUCA MALAVASI (President)

SARA TONGIANI

GABRIELE RIGOLA (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

February 2020

Class schedule

FILM CRITICISM

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral exam aimed at assessing students’ specific knowledge of the main articulations of the history of film criticism, resulting cultural dynamics, and their textual formats.

Attending students: production of a video-essay. Non attending students: written exercise consisting of a comparative analysis of critiques of a single film (indications for the written exam are available on Aulaweb)

Exam schedule