COURSE DESCRIPTION:

French Cinema and Society is not primarily a study of French cinema per se but more precisely an interpretation of contemporary French society as seen through a good dozen of carefully selected French films grouped under the following themes: a) memories of war and colonial remembrance ; b) social classes and societal changes; c) men versus women or love French-style.  Each screening will be preceded by a brief introduction to place the film in its historical or cultural context and followed by a class discussion.

The films to be screened (all with English subtitles) are:

1. Joyeux Noël (2005) by Christian Carion  instead of The Visitors (1993) by J-M Poiré & C. Clavier : "A feelgood movie for uncertain times"
2. Au revoir les enfants (1987) -  Louis Malle's unforgettable childhood memory of war
3. May Fools (Milou en mai)  (1989) - Louis Malle again. The "events" of May  68 seen from the provinces as well as a pantheistic ode to nature
4. Hate (1995) Mathieu Kassovitz' ruthless, black-and-white polemic on the decaying state of French race relations
5. Bye Bye (1995) Karim Dridi's hard look at the life of the Beurs (sons and daughters of North African immigrants)
6. The Town Is Quiet (2001) -  Robert Guédiguian's take on the impact of globalization on Marseilles, his native city
7. La cérémonie (1995) - Claude Chabrol.  From the 'French Hitchcock, a "fusing satire of a newly rich petty bourgeoisie"
8. The Dreamlife of Angels (1998) -  Eric Zonka's poetry of the ordinary in a gem of a movie
9.  Tatie Danielle  - Another look at French society (and old age) through the eyes of Etienne Chatiliez
10. The Girl from Paris (2001)  Christian Carion -  At 30, leaving the city for the country to become a farmer
11. The Closet  (2000) - Francis Veber : how one man's life changes once people change their perception of him
12. Le destin fabuleux d'Amélie Poulain (2001) J.-P. Jeunet -  An ode to secular life and to Paris, the cinematic city
13. L'auberge espagnole (2001) Cédric Kaplisch's vision of the "New Europe" sans racism and xenophobia + Its sequel, Russian Dolls (2005)

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this course is to give students, through the medium of French cinema, a better understanding of contemporary French society with the burden of its past history (wars and colonialism, recent immigration) and with both its bright and dark side, as seen through the eyes of well-known filmmakers such as Jean-Marie Poiré, Louis Malle, Claude Chabrol, Francis Veber,  Jean-Pierre Jeunet, etc.

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION:
 Students must be aware that moral and artistic criteria differ profoundly between France and the U.S.  Some films have explicit sexual and violent content.  They are shown with this warning and for educational purposes only.

TEXTS:
As there are no specific textbooks for such a course, all the required readings - photocopied for your convenience - are also posted on the course website at http://faculty.uml.edu/jgarreau/50.376/material.htm
- Source of Information can also be found in books PN 1992 to PN 1999.

GRADING POLICY:
Course Requirements and Evaluation:
- a one-page minimum personal reaction paper - not a summary  of the movie -  duly typewritten, handed in after the screening of each film (see attached list of questions) and graded as follows on a maximum of 9 points: 6 points for contents, 2 for timeliness (strictly respected), 1 for accuracy of spelling (75%)
- a takehome comprehensive final exam (available on website) emailed or turned in on due date (25 %).

GRADING SYSTEM:
Numerical range: A = 95-100; A- = 90-94; B+ = 87-89; B = 83-86; B- = 80-82;  B = 80-82; C+ = 77-79; C = 73-76; C- = 70-72; D+ = 67-69; D = 63-66; D- = 60-62; F = < 59

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR:  Please communicate by email as well as phone and office hours.
Joseph Garreau, Ph.D. - Professor of French Studies - Coordinator of Languages & BLA Advisor Coordinator
Office Location: Coburn 113D
Hours: M 1:00 - 3:30 ; Tu 2:00 to 6:00 ; Th 2:00 - 3:30.
Voice mail: 978-934-4297
Email: joseph_garreau@uml.edu