Francophone Cinema Across the Mediterranean

In this course, we will study Francophone film and media in a trans-Mediterranean context from the late colonial period to the postcolonial present. After an overview of key works from canonical Maghrebi Francophone directors hailing from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, we will turn our attention to Maghrebi-French diasporic filmmaking, as well as beur and banlieue cinema in an increasingly diverse and multiethnic France. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the aesthetic and political dimensions of Francophone media by examining issues pertaining to colonialism, migration and immigration, exile, multiculturalism, urban space, gender and sexual politics, and the family. Beyond film and television, we will also explore these topics through digital and social media platforms.