Course calendar

Reserves page at Hamersly Library
Class blog

Week 1
R 1/9. Introduction to the class. Lectures & discussions: Perspectives on Canadian Identity and National Cinemas. Screening: From Harling Point (2003).

Week 2
R 1/16. Screening: Stories We Tell (2012). Reading: Gene Walz, Introduction In Canada's Best Features (2005), xi-xxxv, and John Grierson, "First Principles of Documentary", "Searchlight on Democracy", and "The Documentary Idea: 1942" In Grierson on Documentary (1966), 145-156, 227-237 and 248-258.

Supplemental viewing: Goin' Down the Road (1970), with reading: Christine Ramsay, Chapter 1 In Canada's Best Features (2005), 1-24, and Christopher Gittings, Chapter 4 in Canadian National Cinema (2002), 158-163; OR, Margaret's Museum (1995) with reading: Christopher Gittings, Chapter 4 in Canadian National Cinema (2002), 135-141.

**Note: remember that Readings are on electronic reserve from Hamersly Library.

Week 3
R 1/23. Lecture & Discussion: Canadian Cultural Policy. Screening: Roadkill (1989). Reading: Steve Gravestock, "Outlaw Insider: The Films of Bruce McDonald" & Andre Loiselle, "The Radically Moderate Canadian: Don McKellar's Cinematic Persona" In North of Everything (2002), 242-255 & 256-269, and George Melnyk, Chapter 14 In One Hundred Years of Canadian Cinema (2004), 211-223. On the blog: instructions for the first Preliminary Essay.

Supplemental viewing: Hard Core Logo (1996), The Tracey Fragments (2007), OR, My Winnipeg (2007) with reading: Steve Shaviro, "Fire and Ice: The Films of Guy Maddin" In North of Everything (2002), 216-221, and Jason Horsley, "Obsessions into Light", Cineaste Fall 2008, 47-49.

Week 4
R 1/30. Screening: The Red Violin (1998). Reading: Eluned Jones, Chapter 15 In Canada's Best Features (2005), 344-362, and Shaun Huston, "DVD Review: The Red Violin: Meridian Collection", PopMatters, 21 July 2008.

Supplemental viewing: Thirty Two Short Films about Glenn Gould (1993).

Week 5
R 2/6. Class canceled due to campus closure. Reading Preparation for the orginally signed readings for this week, Geoff Pevere, "Fishy" & Charles Acland, "Screen Space, Screen Time and Canadian Film Exhibition" In North of Everything (2002), 100-104 & 2-18 is still due. I will accept via e-mail or at classtime on R 2/13.

Week 6
R 2/13. Lecture & discussion: Naming natives. Screening: Last Night (1998). Reading: D.B. Jones, "Brave New Film Board" In North of Everything (2002), 19-45, Jerry White, "Alanis Obomsawin, Documentary Form, and the Canadian Nation(s)" In North of Everything (2002), 364-375, and Brian McIlroy, Chapter 18 In The Cinema of Canada (2007), 172-181.

Supplemental viewing: Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) (2001) with reading: Darrell Varga, Chapter 23 In The Cinema of Canada (2007), 224-233.

You have until week 7 (R 2/20) to screen Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993) outside of class.

Week 7
R 2/20. Lecture & discussion: The Quiet Revolution. Screening: Jesus de Montreal (1989). Reading: Mary Alemany-Galway, Chapter 7 In A Postmodern Cinema (2002), 118-139, and George Melnyk, Introduction In One Hundred Years of Canadian Cinema (2004), 3-14. On the blog: instructions for the second preliminary essay.

Supplemental viewing: Mon oncle Antoine (1970) with reading: Jim Leach, Chapter 2 In Canada's Best Features (2005), 25-49, and Christopher Gittings, Chapter 4 in Canadian National Cinema (2002), 113-119; OR, Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006) with reading: Matthew Hays, "Bon Cop, Bad Cop and Canada's Two Solitudes, Cineaste Fall 2007, 20-24.

Week 8
R 2/27. Lecture & discussion: Immigration. Screening: Double Happiness (1994). Reading: Christopher Gittings, Chapter 6 In Canadian National Cinema (2002), 231-234, 239-241.

Week 9
R 3/6. Screening: Masala (1995). Reading: Lysandra Woods, "Srinivas Krishna and the New Canadian Cinema" In North of Everything (2002), 206-215, and Thomas Waugh, Chapter 11 In Canada's Best Features (2005), 253-272. On the blog: instructions for the third preliminary essay.

Week 10
R 3/13. Screening: Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity (2002). Reading: George Melnyk, Chapter 15 in One Hundred Years of Canadian Cinema (2004), 224-244. On the blog: instructions for the final essay.

Finals week: Final essay due at 4:00 pm R 3/20. Details on the blog.