Movies! What a cool way to satisfy your Cross-Cultural Requirement at BCTC - see ENG 282 below!
BCTC's film studies courses promote awareness of America's place in the world through the viewing and discussion of films that represent unique perspectives from around the world. Students taking the film courses develop the skills needed to make sense of the multiple stories that we use to shape our world, including the skill to decipher the cultural meanings of different movies and genres.
Any student entering the workforce today will encounter people, ideas and cultural habits from multiple cultures around the world; having an awareness of these different values is a valuable skill in all professions. In fact, organizational theorists David Boje and Robert Dennehy in Managing in the Postmodern World (1993) state that "the ability to understand cultural texts, to decipher the stories used to make meaning, and the ability to communicate effectively (a strong narrative sense) is a vital skill for succeeding in the postmodern business world." According to the Global Film Initiative "In recent times, no medium has been as effective at communicating the range and diversity of the world's cultures as the cinematic arts" (http://www.globalfilm.org/about.htm). Take a film class and change your world!
These classes can also satisfy requirements of the AA/AS degrees, and UK's USP component of a four year degree. For more information, contact Professor Michael Benton.
Eng 281 Introduction to Film
An introduction to the study of the movies as a narrative art and a cultural document. Viewing of films outside of class is required. May not be taken concurrently with ENG 380.
Check out this link to see what films students in Professor Benton's class are viewing this semester.
View this flier to see what Professor Houghton is planning for Fall 08.
ENG 282 International Film Studies
Note: This courses satisfies the AA/AS Degree Cross-Cultural Requirement. Cool!
Enhances student awareness of how cinema has been used as a multicultural tool for observing/analyzing various aspects of a broad range of societies. Includes critical analysis and interpretation of films from various cultures. Explores the films' countries of origin and the cinematic impacts upon the society and the world. Prerequisite: ENG 101. Lecture: 3 credits.
This course is designed to fulfill the cross-cultural requirement and, thus, a major emphasis is the exploration of different cultures in our global community through the medium of film. This is done through the viewing of contemporary International films with an awareness of the filmmakers’/films’: cultural context, historical era, audience/critical reception (in the home country and on the International circuit), controversies surrounding the film/filmmaker, and the broader global circulation of images, genres, aesthetics (influences and influenced). The components of ENG281 (aesthetics and politics of film) are also integrated into the discussion of the films. International Film Studies promotes cross-cultural awareness through the viewing and discussion of films that represent unique perspectives from around the world. The film course develops a strong sense of the narratives that we use to make sense of our world and increases our ability to decipher those stories. A strong narrative sense developed from engagement with multiple cultures is a valuable skill in all professions; in fact, organizational theorists David Boje and Robert Dennehy in Managing in the Postmodern World (1993) state that the ability to understand cultural texts, to decipher the stories used to make meaning, and the ability to communicate effectively (a strong narrative sense), is a vital skill for succeeding in the postmodern business world. According to the Global Film Initiative “In recent times, no medium has been as effective at communicating the range and diversity of the world’s cultures as the cinematic arts” <http://www.globalfilm.org/about.htm>. The weblog for this course is located at http://bluegrassfilmsociety.blogspot.com
Films from Fall 2007 included: Yes (Sally Potter: UK, 2004); Cuckoo (Aleksandr Rogozhkin: Russia, 2002); Lady Vengeance (Chan Wook Park: Korea, 2005); House of Flying Daggers (Yimou Zhang: China, 2004); Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro: Spain, 2006); Cemetary Man (Michele Soalvi: Italy, 1994); The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck: Germany, 2006); Travellers and Magicians (Khyentse Norbu: Bhutan, 2003); Paradise Now (Hany Abu-Assad: Palestine, 2005); The Syrian Bride (Eran Riklis: Israel, 2004); Kontroll (Nimrod Antal: Hungary, 2003); House of Sand (Andrucha Waddington: Brazil, 2005); Code Unknown (Michael Haneke: France, 2000); Celebration (Thomas Vinterbeg: Denmark, 1998); C.R.A.Z.Y. (Jean-Marc Vallee: Canada, 2005)
Bluegrass Film Society
Bluegrass Community Technical College hosts the Bluegrass Film Society. To find out more visit this website.
BCTC also offers a Filmmaking Certificate Program
