Course Catalogue

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The contemporary era shows a proliferation of film production from all over the African continent, and in this course, students will become familiar with some of the most significant developments in narrative styles, genres, themes and aesthetics in contemporary African cinemas. The course will also include discussions of suitable theoretical and critical frameworks in which to analyse and interpret these new films and film movements.

10 x 5-hour sessions, comprising 1hr lecture, 2hr seminar and preceded by 2hr film screening, as scheduled in MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in (put FTV) and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Film and Television studies, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes.

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One 1500-2000 word essay (40%)

One 2500-3000 word essay (60%)

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

■ Introduce students to new genres, styles, themes and aesthetics of contemporary African cinemas

■ Enable students to critically discuss various aspects of contemporary African cinemas, situating these within suitable socio-historical contexts and theoretical and analytical frameworks (such as post-colonial theory, transnationalism and gender studies)

■ Enable students to compare and contracts various aspects of contemporary African cinemas, also in a broader context of developments in world cinema

At the end of the course students will be able to:

■ Identify and describe some of the most significant developments in contemporary African cinemas, in terms of themes, genres, styles, regions, production and dissemination methods

■ Discuss these cinematic developments within socio-historical contexts of the development of African cinemas specifically and world cinema more generally

■ Critically discuss and analyse these new cinematic developments within suitable theoretical frameworks

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.