This course will focus on recent German cinema, particularly films produced since the year 2000, analysing various themes affecting contemporary German society through a visual as well as narrative framework. These include questions of identity, "otherness,” and intercultural encounter, themes of "Heimat" (sense of home), and dealing with the past. The course will connect themes of identity, history and memory to wider European and international debates.
In particular, the course explores:
- how ideas of home and identity are destabilized by experiences such as exile, emigration, or political change;
- what constitutes contemporary “German” and “European” identity;
- how ideas about national identity intersect with other social identities, including cultural, ethnic, regional, and transnational affinities, as well as identities based in class, gender, and sexuality;
- how contemporary films provide a means of coming to terms with Germany's turbulent 20th-century past, including the horrors of the Third Reich, and the country's forty-year division into East and West.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- understand and critically describe recent directions in contemporary German film and cultural production, including links to European and global film production contexts;
- use the language of film analysis to engage in in-depth critique of recent German films and their cultural context;
- critically engage with a wide range of cinematic texts and relevant secondary literature at an advanced level; and
- develop sophisticated insights into a major non-English speaking culture, and into international debates about identity, history, and memory.
Indicative Assessment
- Online learning journal based on weekly films, readings, and class discussions (2500 words) (25) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Essay (2500 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Close scene analysis, 15 min presentation or (1500 word essay) (25) [LO 2,3,4]
- Tutorial participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 48 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 12 hours of lectures, 12 hours of tutorials and 24 hours of film screening; and
b) 82 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
All texts will be supplied on the course Wattle page.Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $3180 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $4890 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6203 | 26 Jul 2021 | 02 Aug 2021 | 14 Sep 2021 | 29 Oct 2021 | In Person | N/A |
