Global China on Screen

Like in the West, Chinese cinema has held a significant share in the cultural industry since the first film was made in China in 1905. Being a cultural product, film has always been seen as reflection of its contemporary culture, despite various aspects it might have taken. Taking primarily a Cultural Studies approach, this course introduces Chinese culture, especially a series of its contemporary phenomena by surveying Chinese cinema. The course will be taught in English and all Chinese films are subtitled. By viewing the films in class and many more available in the well-resourced UC library on the course's recommendation and students' own interests, the course encourages students to further develop their study in one or more of the following areas: Studies of Chinese culture and society; Cross-cultural studies with a focus on China/Asia and beyond; Cultural studies with a special emphasis on postmodernism (including postcolonialism) and Third World culture; Film studies focusing on national cinema. CHIN206 and CINE215 are the same course.