Course Description

The aim of this course is to introduce students to (mostly) contemporary Scandinavian film and to discover the multifaceted aspects of Nordic cinematic cultures. Although the production from this region is often considered to rely on a very realistic (or even hyper-realistic) approach to film making and story telling, it will become clear that there are some very unique directorial approaches which will broaden our expectations of what the Scandinavian cinematography has to offer. We will highlight such recognizable themes as social structures, gender equity, environmental concerns, and transnationalism as well as stylistic analyses of the individual works and the genres in general.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

• Identify major influences, genres and directors in the field of Scandinavian cinema from the late 1990s to the present
• Gain an awareness of contemporary Scandinavian society and its dominant interests through film (i.e. using cinema as a cultural lens)
• Identify themes like class, gender roles, landscape and how they inflect the films in question
• Reflect critically on both Scandinavian and your own culture and society
• Recognise (stereo)typical traits of Scandinavian film
• Develop your critical thinking skills by requiring you to construct and defend your own interpretations of films in oral and written form

Films

Abbasi, Ali: Border (Gräns), Sweden 2018
Andersson, Roy: You, the Living (Du levande), Sweden 2007
Erlingsson, Benedikt: Woman at War (Kona fer í stríð), Iceland 2018
Haq, Iram: I am Yours (Jeg er din), Norway 2013
Kaurismäki, Aki: The Man without a Past (Mies vailla menneisyyttä), Finland 2000
Langseth, Lisa: Hotel (Hotell), Sweden 2013
Vinterberg, Thomas: The Celebration (Festen), Denmark 1998

Breakdown of Grades

Attendance, Preparation and Participation 20
Exam  35
Scene Analysis with Peer Review 22.5
Culture Sharing Project 15
Reflections 7.5
Total 100

There will be no final paper in this course