This course aims to develop advanced oral and aural skills through discussion, debate, performance, and role-play about the arts in Italy, including cinema, theater, the figurative arts, and music. The thematic content of this course changes every semester.

If you love Italian cinema or know nothing about it and would like to learn about Italian society through film, this course is for you. Film is a fantastic way to analyze the culture and language of a society and its development through history. Image and language, when combined on the big screen, provide a powerful tool in conveying multiple meanings and interpretations and to offer us the viewers/spectators a window into the soul and essence of a culture in motion, its values and identities. In this course we will watch and analyze a range of films both by renowned Italian film directors who made cinematic history (i.e. Fellini, Rossellini, De Sica, Visconti, Antonioni, Tornatore, Salvatores, Wertmüller) and by prominent more contemporary artists (i.e. Ferzan Özpetek, Paolo Virzi, Alice Rohrwacher, Paolo Sorrentino, Gianni Amelio, Marco Bellocchio, Paola Cortellese, Nanni Moretti, Matteo Garrone, Luca Guadagnino, Gabriel Muccino) discussing the ways in which Italian cinema reflects the evolution of modern Italy in terms of the social, political, economic and cultural developments which characterize 20th and 21st century Italian life. We will delve into the study of visual representation (the use of visual elements to convey ideas, emotions, and narratives), narrative devices (how a story is told), cinematography and style. We will engage with different genres (drama, comedy, historical) and a range of topics including love, relationships, family, coming of age, adulthood, sexuality, memory, immigration, politics, and war. Films are shown in Italian with English subtitles. Screenings will be accompanied by selected readings given by the instructor. If you are particularly interested in a cinematic movement or a specific director or topic, the syllabus can be modified to accommodate your interests. By actively listening to dialogues in films and learning about linguistic variations, you will also refine your listening skills in Italian and strengthen your conversational abilities in expressing your opinions on a range of subjects related to movies. The course is highly interactive and includes a creative and collaborative component. Over the course of the semester, you will not only learn to critically analyze films and learn about cultural aspects of Italian society, but you will also explore your creative and reflective side by attempting to write your own script (just a scene or two!), assuming the role of screenwriter/director/performer. Regular attendance to lectures/discussions and screenings required. Informed and engaged class participation a must. Short response papers and oral presentations throughout the semester.

Prerequisite: Italian 4 or instructor consent.

If you do not speak any Italian and are interested in the course, contact the instructor at ambellezza@berkeley.edu

Repeat Rules

Requirements class fulfills