BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
Students will be able to identify and critically analyze the forms, styles, and codes of cinematic language, interpreting key elements such as mise-en-scène, cinematography, editing, sound, performance, and audiovisual narrative, while understanding the relationship between formal choices and meaning-making.
Upon successful completion of the module, students will be be able to apply the principal methods and tools of film analysis to the interpretation of cinematic and audiovisual works from different historical periods, genres, and cultural contexts, exercising independent judgment in evaluating their aesthetic, narrative, stylistic, and historical significance.
Students will also develop a solid command of the specialized terminology of film and audiovisual studies, compare different theoretical and methodological approaches to film analysis, and formulate well-reasoned, critically informed interpretations that demonstrate an understanding of the role of audiovisual language in processes of communication, representation, and the construction of the contemporary cultural imagination.
Course Prerequisites
Interest in film culture; willingness to watch and discuss classic and contemporary films.
Teaching Methods
The course is delivered through lectures that involve the active participation of students in practical and applied activities. The teaching path is supported by the viewing and in-depth analysis of selected film sequences. The instructor provides weekly learning materials, supporting resources, and exercises for each topic through the university’s e-learning platforms.
Students will be offered the opportunity to take part in optional extracurricular activities aligned with the course content (e.g., serving on film festival juries; participating in university film clubs).
Assessment Methods
Learning outcomes are assessed on the basis of the completeness of the student’s knowledge, the appropriate use of disciplinary terminology, and the ability to synthesize and clearly present the content of the module, including the required bibliography and filmography. Assessment consists of a written examination divided into two parts:
- A multiple-choice test (30 questions, 30 minutes).
- An open-ended question requiring the analysis of the linguistic and formal aspects of a film or a film sequence (60 minutes).
The final grade is awarded on a 30-point scale and is calculated as the average of the marks obtained in the two parts of the examination. For students taking this module as part of an integrated examination with another module, the final mark is calculated as the average of the grades obtained in the two modules.
Contents
Particular attention is devoted to the core components of cinematic language, considered both in their technical and formal aspects and in their narrative, stylistic, and theoretical implications. The module explores the construction of mise-en-scène, framing and image composition, editing, sound, and audiovisual narrative, highlighting their role in shaping film style and the spectator’s experience.
The course also introduces students to the principal methods and tools of film analysis, enabling them to observe and critically interpret the linguistic and formal choices made by filmmakers in relation to different historical, cultural, and production contexts. By integrating film history, film theory, and audiovisual analysis, the module presents cinematic language as a dynamic system of conventions, practices, and expressive forms that continues to evolve within the contemporary media ecosystem.
Online Resources
More information
The official channel of communication between the instructor and the students is the university e-leaning platform. It is mandatory to check the e-learning platform on a weekly basis. The e-learning platform includes didactic materials and further recommended films and readings. In addition to the exam bibliography, a mandatory filmography is made available by the instructor.
The exam program is the same for both attending and non-attending students. Erasmus and PDP or PEI students are invited to get in contact with the instructor at the beginning of the course.
Attending students are required to strictly comply with the timetable and schedule of the class section to which they are assigned.