THEA 629 (MEDIA ARTS): African and Diaspora Film

The course offers a thoughtful inquiry into the intricate modes of production and relationships of African and Diaspora films.

The moralist, the commercial, the cultural, the ‘self-expression,’ and the ‘narcissistic intellectual’ tendencies of African films will

be discussed. Black independent films ranging from earliest black involvement at the turn of the century up through the civil rights

movement of the sixties; developments in both structuralist and post-structuralist film theory; assessment of works of contemporary

filmmakers such as Spike Lee; African-American comedy, black family film, and black action film will be investigated. Diaspora films

from elsewhere will also be examined.