Global Film of the Month

I Love Foreign Films, but . . .

I don't always have time or reason to create assignments using global films in the courses I teach. However, I still think college is a great place to introduce students to films (and, of course, other resources) that provide them a cultural perspective that expands beyond the "mainstream" U.S. culture. This can be done with simple "Film of the Month" recommendations, which could be used as prompts for class or small group discussions and informal writing exercises. I used to provide all the selections for the students, but now I am relying on the students to make the recommendations, as the assignment below shows. This way the students become teachers, teaching each other and teaching me.

The information below has been prepared for my Fall 2007 Modern World Literature Students.

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“Global Film of the Month” Recommendations & Discussion

The following film recommendations were chosen by Modern World Literature students who took this course in Fall 2006. The students also wrote the film descriptions.

As you can see, no recommendation has been made for the month of December. Each of you will have an opportunity to submit one recommendation to me, and the recommendation with the most nominations will be listed as the “Film of the Month” selection. I will provide more detailed information about the selection process by early November. The four top nominations will be listed as the selections for the next semester’s World Literature course, January through April.

Since the goal of this course is to learn about less familiar cultures, the "Film of the Month" selection must portray a culture that cannot be predominately described as "mainstream" U.S. culture. In the second week of the semester, we will discuss the concept of "mainstream" culture and brainstorm some possible film recommendations.

All films listed are available at many video stores and online film suppliers, such as Netflix and Blockbuster, as well as many libraries. Students in previous semesters have also scheduled common movie nights. Let each other know if this option appeals to you!

· SEPTEMBER
The Motorcycle Diaries. Dir. Walter Salles. Sundance, 2004.
"This film is based on the journals of Che Guevara, leader of the Cuban Revolution. In his memoirs, Guevara tells about the adventures he and his best friend Alberto Granado had as young men while crossing South America by motorcycle in the early 1950s. They encounter many interesting people, including a colony of lepers."

· OCTOBER
The Story of a Weeping Camel. Dir. Byambasuren Davaa. Thinkfilm, 2004.
"In this Mongolian documentary, a family in the Gobi Desert tries to get a mother camel to recognize and nurture its baby. Because the birth had been difficult, the mother resisted her natural role, and the family had to send for a musician to sooth her with music. It was very fascinating to see how the mother camel responded positively to the music. The film was made in the Gobi Desert and the families that live out in the windy and remote area are in small huts that are filled with their belongings and mementos. Although there is no voice over narration and only minimal dialog, the viewer gets a real sense of the 'simple' lives they lead as camels and sheepherders and how they are mostly removed from modern society."

· NOVEMBER
The Warrior. Dir. Sung-su Kim. Miramax, 2001.
"In this film a group of Korean envoys is captured during a diplomatic mission to China. They are accused of espionage and sent to a remote desert to die. Eventually they make their way back to Korea, but before they reach their destination, they rescue a beautiful Ming princess and battle with bloodthirsty Mongol warriors. This action-packed film is visually very interesting."

· DECEMBER
The selection will be determined by your recommendations and votes!

ONLINE DISCUSSION
We will have an ongoing “Film Forum” discussion using the online course discussion tool. Each month's discussion will have its own subject heading and due date, which will be listed in the forum as well as on the course schedule. In general, you will be asked to view the films and then comment freely on the recommendations and, as needed, provide relevant Internet links for support or further information on the films. In December, you will be asked to make your own recommendation – and justification - for your own “Film of the Month” selection, including a brief description of the film and complete distribution information: the title, the director, the distributor, and the year of release.

*) Image from Free Graphics