2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

EAST5037M Transnational East Asian Cinemas

30 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Dr Irena Hayter
Email: i.hayter@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is mutually exclusive with

EAST3550

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

The module will situate Chinese, Japanese and (to a lesser extent) Korean cinemas in their specific social, cultural and aesthetic histories. It will also attend to cultural flows within East Asia that can help us decentre Western-based ideas of cultural globalisation. Films will be approached both formally and historically, through analytical frameworks such as genre, gender, auteurism, (techno-)Orientalism, national cinema and transnationalism – whilst reflecting critically on these concepts within the East Asian context.

Objectives

To study both the national and international dimension of the genres, auteurs and texts (from critical analyses to marketing messages) of Chinese, Japanese and (to a lesser extent) Korean cinema;

To encourage students to engage with the genres in East Asian mainstream cinema (Japanese period film, Chinese martial arts film; J-horror, K-noir, anime, etc.) and the work of the most prominent Japanese and Chinese cinematic auteurs from the 1930s to the present;

To understand and evaluate the specifically Japanese and Chinese cultural and socio-historical contexts of production and exhibition of these films;

To develop an understanding of transnational Japanese and Chinese cinemas as fully embedded in the networks of the global film industry, and the international art house cinema circuit, on one hand, but also as agents in specifically East Asian cultural flows of film production, exhibition and fandom;

To encourage critical reflection on Western writings about Japanese and Chinese national cinema as expressions of an intrinsically and irreducibly ‘Japanese’ or ‘Chinese’ aesthetic.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. Evaluate the cinemas of China, Japan and/or Korea within their national socio-historical contexts.
2. Assess the place of East Asian Cinemas within global film culture.

3: Identify and explain cultural flows within East Asia, their role in film finance, production, fandom, etc. and their potential to decentre Western-based ideas of globalization.

4 Evaluate critically the concepts and analytical frameworks of Film Studies, using specific case studies, and assess their relevance to the study of non-Western cinemas.

Skills Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5: Communication: Communicate effectively through clear written modes.
6: Time management, planning and organisation: Demonstrate the ability to meet deadlines through working effectively on a project brief.
7: Problem solving: Interpret and analyse data and information from a number of sources and perspectives in order to solve a complex problem.
8. Creativity: Interpret, anticipate and respond to developments and trends in the study and practice of film; make connections across differing perspectives in order to explore ideas, identify problems and provide evidenced solutions.
9. Critical thinking: Critique and improve their own work through seeking effective and useful feedback from others; identify gaps in knowledge and seek out the information or evidence needed in order to understand an issue, or to address a problem or task

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	10	1.00	10.00
Seminars	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			280.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Seminars discussion (both group-based and class-wide) will give tutors opportunity to observe students’ contributions and offer comments and feedback. Group discussions will also provide peer learning and feedback. Individual feedback to students will be provided in regular office hours and or in meetings by appointment, if necessary, in order to discuss in-class performance, literature review and essay marks. Detailed individual written feedback will be provided on the two assessments.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,000 words	70.00
Literature Review	1,000 words	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 01/03/2024

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD