Documentary Filmmaking in the Age of Netflix
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
This workshop is inspired by the growing interest in recent American feature-length social justice documentaries released on various streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.) and by the opportunity these productions provide for critical cultural analysis. The workshop will help participants to hone their critical understanding of the relationships between culture, discursive strategies, social issues, mass communication and the production and consumption of cultural goods by analysing them through the lens of American documentary feature films. More specifically, the documentaries analysed will have a social focus (feminism, poverty, African American rights) both in terms of their diegetic (themes, narrational techniques, cinematography) and extra-diegetic (production, funding, distribution) aspects.
Expected learning outcomes
The workshop generally aims to enable participants to critically interpret the documentaries studied, within a specific context of cultural and political practices that are shaped by precise (national and international) market choices. Upon completion of the workshop, students will be able to independently, articulately and critically discuss (in English) complex materials (documentary feature films) and themes (social issues underlying and conflicting with contemporary American culture). To enable them to do so, students will be given the opportunity to evaluate their and their peers' methods of interpretation/study/summary.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Giudizio di approvazione
Assessment result: superato/non superato
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The idea for this lab stems as much from the growing interest of students MA programs in recent socially engaged U.S. documentary film productions on various streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and others) as from the opportunity for critical culturalist insights that these productions represent. The workshop thus fits more loosely within the educational objectives of Anglo-American Culture I and II, helping to lead students to refine their critical understanding of the relationships between culture, discursive strategies, social phenomena, mass communication, and the production and consumption of cultural products by analyzing them through the lens of U.S. documentary films. More specifically, "socially focused" documentaries-feminism, poverty, the African-American condition - will be analyzed in both their diegetic (themes, narrative techniques, perspectives of the gaze) and extra-diegetic (production, financing, distribution) aspects.
More specific details about the documentaries that will be analyzed will be given as the workshop begins.
More specific details about the documentaries that will be analyzed will be given as the workshop begins.
Prerequisites for admission
Students should be able to read and understand complex texts - visual texts, specifically - in English and express a critical opinion on the proposed content while demonstrating good methodological skills.
Teaching methods
The meetings will be seminar-based and try to elicit as much in-class student feedback as possible through debates and shared activities.
Teaching Resources
More specific details about the documentaries that will be analyzed will be given as the workshop begins.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Attending students will prepare individual or group presentations on the topics discussed and agreed upon with the lecturer.
Professor(s)