Modern Japanese Film

4 credits

Japanese film is studied as a window into some aspects of Japanese culture, such as war, peace, family, society, tradition, gender, aesthetics, morals, and values.

Postwar Japanese films and anime, such as works produced by Kurosawa, Ozu and Miyazaki, have been a source not only for an illuminating insight into the world, but also for new cultural phenomena and entertainment businesses in the global marketplace. Throughout the paper, we analyse the diverse and complicated picture of modern Japan, which has always been transnational and transcultural. No knowledge of Japanese is required. All lectures, readings and films are offered in English or with English subtitles; texts in Japanese are optional.