Monday and Wednesday, 0905 – 11.55, May-June 2014
Lesson in movie making, Lesson in movie making, Pangnirtung, Baffin Island, 1929. Library and Archives Canada.
Content: The documentary Nanook of the North (1922) and the feature Black Robe (1991) shaped perceptions of First Nations peoples and the landscapes of Canada for audiences at home and abroad. Other films such as Les Ordres (1974) and 15 février 1839 (2001) have exposed some of the deep divisions between English and French Canadians. They have been criticized for historical inaccuracies, omissions or their cultural or political undertones. How can film convey a meaningful understanding of our past and of the ways the past affects us today? Can films depict historical complexity as much as text? Can they convey some aspects of history in a better way? We will examine these questions through a series of themes of Canadian history using an array of historical feature and documentary films. We will look past the simple entertainment value of this media and explore the intersections of the work of filmmakers and historians.
Course Assessment: Classroom time will be based on film screenings, lectures and discussion. In addition, readings are to be completed outside the class and short written summaries submitted. Two papers on topics selected in agreement with the instructor evaluating film as vehicle for historical production will complete the evaluation. There will be no mid-term or final exam.
For more information please contact the Department of History, at 613-520-2828 or email to history@carleton.ca