About

Contact

Prof. Greg Shaya
office/tel: Kauke 111, x2169
email:  gshaya@wooster.eduOffice Hours:

  • Drop in: Mondays 3:30 to 4:00pm
  • Sign up for other times: My Booking Page  

Course Description

This course offers an introduction to the history of world cinema from its origins in the late nineteenth century to the present. We will examine film as technology, cultural expression, and commercial practice. We’ll study major movements, genres, themes, and directors. And we’ll explore the social and political context of films from across the world. By its nature, the course can be no more than an introduction, but my hope is that it will cultivate a deeper understanding of film as art, a richer language for speaking about film, and an appreciation for cinema from around the world.

Normally, the course will be taken concurrently with the weekly film viewing/discussion lab on Wednesday night (GMDS19908L), where we will watch landmark films from the history of world cinema. Students who are unable to sign up for the lab course can watch the weekly films on their own. 

Class sessions will include a mix of lecture and discussion, film viewings, and hands-on workshops.

Student Learning Goals:

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • Identify and discuss major movements and developments in the history of world cinema
  • Identify and discuss a series of landmark films and directors in the history of world cinema
  • Demonstrate the basic conceptual and visual vocabulary of film analysis

Course Materials

Required Text: David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film History: An Introduction (2025 edition). It is available on Moodle through Inclusive Access.

Any additional readings will be provided on Moodle.

Required Films: All course films should be available on Kanopy or through the library website. I’ll provide links to individual films.

We’ll watch many short video clips along the way.

A Note on Our Films

Many of our films are challenging. Some are in languages you may not understand and subtitled in English. Some contain racist and sexist stereotypes, explicit sexuality, scenes of intense violence, and/or offensive language and ideas. If you think you will have difficulty studying such films, you should drop the course. I will do my best to forewarn you as we go, but sensitive viewers should be sure to review the IMDB viewer advisory before each screening.

Requirements and Grading

  • Attendance, participation, preparation, and professionalism (20% of final grade)
  • Short assignments (presentations, workshops) (15%)
  • Three short (2-3 pp.) papers (20%)
  • Two in-class exams (20%)
  • Final exam (25%)

Class Expectations and Policies

A full listing of course policies and resources is included on Moodle. Some selections:

  • Attendance. I expect that you will be ready at the start of class, you won’t come in late, you won’t leave during class, and you won’t miss class except when there is something unavoidable – and then that you will let me know promptly and do work to make up for your absence. Missing more than three class meetings will be very detrimental to your final grade.
  • Participation. Your engaged participation is an essential part of the course. It will require preparation. My goal is to bring everyone into the conversation. I will call on students to invite your participation. You can always pass if you are not ready. If you are uncomfortable talking in class, come talk to me after class or in office hours and I can suggest alternative methods of participation.
  • Technology in the Classroom. We will use our time in class to talk, listen, discuss, and share ideas. Towards that end, all personal electronics – laptops, phones, digital readers – are prohibited from the classroom. In the past, these have proved to be a distraction to students and the professor. There will be frequent exceptions where I ask you to use your computer in class. In these case, I require you to turn off notifications, close your email, and silence social media feeds so that you can focus on the work we are doing together.
  • AI Tools. You may make use of AI tools in researching film history. We’ll discuss the ethical considerations in class. However, any use of AI tools to generate text or edit text for your written assignments will be considered a violation of academic integrity and will be subject to the same penalties as plagiarizing or cheating.
  • Deadlines (and Flexibility). Late assignments will only be accepted by permission of the instructor. Unless I grant a special dispensation, assignments will be penalized one letter grade for each day they are late. I also embrace the principle of flexibility. Unexpected situations will happen. You may face challenges that distract you from our work together. (I may as well). If you find you are having difficulty completing the work of our class, please come talk to me and we will try to work out a solution. In acknowledgement of the need for flexibility, I give you three days of grace period to use as you like. (Note that this does not apply to exams).