This course is a survey of the history of Czech cinema, concentrating on the period of the Czech New Wave of the 1960s (Miloš Forman, Jiří Menzel, Jan Němec, Věra Chytilová), but also on the period since 1989. The course provides an introduction to the history of Czech cinema between the two world wars, analyses the impact of totalitarian communist ideology on Czech film making in the 1950s and 1970s-1980s and reviews the most significant developments in Czech cinema since the fall of communism.

20 1-hour seminars at days and times to be arranged.

Class exam (1.5 hours) in the examining period of semester 1 (50%); class essay (c.2000 words) to be submitted by the end of semester 2 (50%).

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course is intended to provide students with a good knowledge of the developments in Czech cinema, as exemplified by major examples of the art. Historically, Czech cinema has been closely connected with social and political developments in the country.

Upon successful completion of the course students will be able to demonstrate:

1. a detailed knowledge and understanding of the films studied

2. a thorough understanding of the major political and social issues reflected in these films, with which the Czechs have grappled in the later 20th century

3. an appropriate awareness of the main critical texts referred to in the course.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.