Auteurs of Polish Cinema (Online)

Course Times & Enrolment

(Code FM196-201) • (0 classes) Course location to be confirmed •

Sorry, this course is cancelled

Course Summary

The journey through the works of 10 iconic directors is an exciting entry point to one of Europe’s most influential and diverse national cinemas. The course is an introduction to Polish cinema looking at its canonical post-war filmmakers and established contemporary voices. As Polish films often require some guidance, our discussions will also examine wider socio-cultural background of the works in focus.

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

Students will need to be able to confidently use videoconferencing software and be comfortable with using websites.

Special Information

In order to participate in this course, you will need access to a computer with a speaker, microphone and a good internet connection. An internet browser is required to access the online learning platform. Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are the recommended browsers.

Content of Course

Each week of the course will focus on one Polish director from the post-war era to the present. We will look at a variety of genres and styles from both art-house and popular films. Clip-based discussions in class will also be an opportunity to explore a range of topics linked with the socio-cultural and political history of the country. Each year, the course will feature a new line-up of directors.

Teaching method(s)

This course will be delivered via live online sessions.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Appreciate a representative range of Polish films and directors;
Recognize various directorial styles and cinematic trends in Polish cinema;
Locate the films within their broader contexts (historical and cultural);
Discuss the studied films in depth.

Sources

Core Readings

Students should not purchase books until the course is confirmed to run, and their teacher instructs them to do so.

Haltof, M., 2018. Polish Cinema: A History. Oxford: Berghahn Books.
Falkowska, J. & Haltof M. [eds], 2003. New Polish Cinema. Trowbridge: Flick Books.
Michalek, B., 1988. The Modern Cinema of Poland. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Coates, P., 2005. The Red and the White: The Cinema of People’s Poland. London: Wallflower.

Web Sources

https://35mm.online/en - a streaming platform featuring nearly 4,000 digitally restored Polish film items, including 160 feature films, 71 documentaries and 474 animated films.
https://www.new-east-archive.org/features/show/12857/film-listicle-polish-cinema - a feature on 10 era-defining Polish films from the 50s to the present day.
https://culture.pl/en/article/a-foreigners-guide-to-polish-cinema - A Foreigner's Guide to Polish Cinema by Culture.pl .
https://edin.ac/465jhpY - Crash Course in Polish Cinema offering a series of video lectures providing snapshots of different perspective on Polish film. A collaboration between the Polish Cultural Institute and the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Open Learning.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.