Auteur.es, Cin astes, Actrices: The Wom

FREN3465UN: Auteur.es, Cinéastes: The Women of French and Francophone Cinema, 3 credits
Instructor Aubrey Gabel, Assistant Professor in French, Columbia University. ​Taught in French.

This course tells the story of major French cinematic movements—such as expressionism, New Wave,
experimentalism, the cinéma du look, and so on—through the gaze of `“auteures,” or the women directors
who shaped Francophone film history as we know it. The first half will focus on filmmakers from the
silent era (Guy, Dulac) to the so-called “godmother of New Wave,” Agnès Varda. From the ‘70s onwards,
we will direct our attention at experimental film, and notably feminists (Akerman, Breillat) who
showcased the inner lives of everyday women and girls. The second half of the course will turn to case
studies of contemporary réalisatrices, from Clare Denis, who has seemingly made films in every genre, to
up-and-coming “first-generation” French filmmakers (Alice Diop, Mati Diop, Hafzia Herzi). Finally, the
course will conclude with recent vogue of feminist body horror. Along the way, we will attend to the
iconic actresses developed an outsized presence both on and off screen (Seyrig, Deneuve, Bardot), as well
as a “hidden archive” of cinéastes’ scripts and screen tests—or the publicity work that paid the bills.
Students will be introduced to the written and analytic genres central to film analysis today. Taught in
French with readings in French and English.

To enroll in this course, you must apply to the Columbia Summer in Paris: French Immersion Track program through the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE).  Global Learning Scholarships available.  Tuition charges apply. 

Please note the program dates are different from the Summer Session Terms. Visit the UGE website for the start and end dates for the Columbia in Summer in Paris program. Please email uge@columbia.edu with any questions you may have.