FILM AS CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION Cross-Cultural Approaches to Film Analysis

The primary goal/function of your paper is to construct and communicate cross-cultural interpretations. In simple terms, you are making sense of what the text (film) means and how it means in cultural contexts, and cross-cultural contexts, and clearly communicating your interpretations. Conflict is the major issue.

Required: 2 films; 5 pages total [not including cover page approximately 250-290 words per page]; 6 Academic References and/or significant reviews.

Title page: Name, title of films, director, date of production & country of production;

Separate Reference pages

1. CULTURE: Films from different countries, from different cultures pose challenges in setting the parameters of interrogation. But areas of concern/analysis come to all papers:
-Define and discuss the concept(s) of culture as it applies to your films.
-Culture has many meanings. Culture means in context(s).
-What are the cultural concerns that cross over both of your films?
-Can you even isolate larger culture perspectives that expand over all of your films?

It's important that you isolate culturally determined factors in your analysis of each film such as race, gender, class, age, identity, etc

2. Films are creative expressions of their historical and cultural contexts. For each film analyze the text (film) in its specific cultural contexts [time period and place]. Most importantly, analyze how these films investigate, reflect, represent, and interrogate cultural contexts.

CULTURAL CONTEXTS. In number one above, comments on culture might seem very general. But central to your paper is the concept of cultural contexts = cultural values, beliefs, intellectual traditions, historical backgrounds, social and political backgrounds. For each film select the appropriate cultural contexts, conflicts and investigate, reflect, etc.

3. This requires a depth of knowledge in several areas related to your topics. Required: research your topic. Example: What was the state of racial relations at that period of time? What were the conditions in the specific country that contributed to adolescent rebellion? Required: Academic research. Utilize databases in our Library. AVOID film reviews unless they are in-depth-look at the review of Rabbit Proof Fence. You can utilize essays from film Journals-see my file folder with the major film Journals.

It's important that you isolate culturally determined factors in your analysis of each film such as race, gender, class, age, identity, etc.

4. What major issues did you analyze in each film? What are the cross-cultural differences? What are the similarities and differences in the focus and concerns of the films?

5. What are the patterns and channels of communication in your film? What communication patterns are important? Why? What do they reveal about the issues in cultural context that you are investigating.

EVALUATION;

1. Accuracy. Authority. Knowledge
2. Variety of sources and application of sources; Validity of sources.
3. Interpretive strategies and reasoning behind those strategies.
4. Clarity and depth of analysis --limit re-stating narratives
5. Organization and progression of analysis
6. Readability
7. Clear division in analyzing each film and in comparing the issues noted above.