Le Cinema Francais et Screenwriting in French

New York University

Gallatin School of Individualized Study

Professor: Dr. Julia Keefer

Summer 2007 / 4 credits

Proposal for Independent Coursework:

French Cinema and Screenwriting

Course Description

What religious, political, and intellectual influences makes French cinema distinctive from that of other cultures? What cultural, social, and economic impact did French films have during their time, and what importance do they have in today's cinema? This interdisciplinary independent study not only explores classic French films from the 1950s to today, but also provides a vehicle for intermediate-level French language comprehension and writing skills.

In this course focusing on French cinema and the mechanics of writing a screenplay in French, the successful student will learn to view literary, artistic, and intellectual developments in screenwriting as closely related and interdependent. S/he will gain an understanding of the political, social, and intellectual forces which led to the emergence of modern France , as well as reflect critically upon the heritage of the most recent past and the position of France today in a global context. The ultimate goal of this course is to offer an intellectually coherent and challenging program, which, at the same time, prepares the student to write screenplays competently in another language.

Course Objectives

The student will further develop competencies in the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in French, as well as receiving an enriched understanding of the French culture. By the end of the course, the student will be able to perform such communicative functions as: initiating a conversation on a specific subject, expressing an opinion and presenting an argument

Within the dramatic writing component of this independent study, the student will:

Study drama and screenwriting in the French culture.
Understand successful components dramatic writing in French.
Gain an appreciation of the changing nature of artistic form.
Develop creativity and improve dramatic writing skills.

Within the language component of the independent study, the student will:

Improve linguistic skills and historical and cultural knowledge of Francophone countries.
Communicate successfully in intermediate-level French.
Gain an awareness of language as the primary medium for the creation of cultural meaning in the widest possible sense.

Requirements

Read the texts and watch the films listed below, as well as participate in outside activities (attend plays, visit exhibits, and so on).
Write a detailed Hero's Journey outlining the events of each film listed below.
Submit a final project of no fewer than 25 pages (either the first act or the first 25 pages of a screenplay) written in French.

Reading List

Austin, Guy. Contemporary French Cinema: An Introduction (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1996). ISBN: 978-0719046117
Bishop, Graham. Developing Writing Skills in French ( New York : Routledge, 2005). ISBN: 978-0415348973
Hayward, Susan. French Film: Texts and Contexts ( New York : Routledge, 2000). ISBN: 978-0415161183
Lang, Margaret. Modern French Grammar Workbook ( New York : Routledge, 2005). ISBN: 978-0415331630
Lang, Margaret. Modern French Grammar: A Practical Guide ( New York : Routledge, 2004). ISBN: 978-0415331623
Lanzoni, Remi. French Cinema From Its Beginnings to the Present (New York, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004) ISBN: 978-0826416001
Larousse. Larousse French Dictionary ( Boston : Houghton Mifflin/Larousse, 2005). ISBN: 978-2035421401
Norman, Jill and Henri Orteu. The Penguin French Phrase Book (New York: Penguin Group USA, 1998). ISBN: 9780140099423
Powrie, Phillip. French Cinema: A Student's Guide ( London : Hodder Arnold, 2003). ISBN: 978-0340760048
Stein, Gail. The Pocket Idiot's Guide to French Phrases ( New York : Penguin Group USA, 2004). ISBN: 9781592571826

Films

Beineix , Jean-Jacques. Diva, 1981.
Berliner, Alain. Ma Vie en Rose ( My Life in Pink ), 1997.
Caro, Marc. Delicatessen , 1991 or La Cit é des Enfants Perdus ( The City of Lost Children ), 1995.
Clouzot , Henri-Georges. Le Salaire de la Peur ( The Wages of Fear ), 1953.
Godard, Jean-Luc. À Bout de Souffle ( Breathless ), 1960.
Jeunet, Jean-Pierre. Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain ( Am é lie ), 2001.
Kassovitz, Mathieu. La Haine ( Hate ), 1995.
Kieslowski, Krzysztof. The Trois Coleurs series, 1993 -1994.
Malle, Louis. Au Revoir les Enfants ( Goodbye, Children ), 1987.
Melville, Jean-Pierre. Le Cercle Rouge ( The Red Circle ), 1970.
Renoir, Jean. La Règle du Jeu ( The Rules of the Game ), 1959.
Resnais, Alain. Hiroshima Mon Amour , 1959.
Rohmer, Eric. L' Amour l'Après-Midi ( Chloe in the Afternoon ), 1970 or Pauline à la Plage ( Pauline at the Beach ) 1983.
Truffaut, Francois. Les Quatre Cents Coups ( The 400 Blows ), 1959 or Jules et Jim , 1962.
Veber, Francis. Le Dîner de Cons ( The Dinner Game ), 1998.
Wargnier, Regis. Est-Ouest (East-West), 1999.