Film Festivals

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Film festivals are pivotal in shaping film history, curating (trans)national film canons (Vallejo 2020), and discovering new filmmakers. They foster industry networks and cultural dialogues and serve as platforms for negotiating identities and experiences. The rapid growth of film festivals and their increasing function within the production, distribution and exhibition of film has led to the rise of film festival studies (De Valck & Loist 2009; Iordanova 2013). This seminar introduces students to key theories and methods in film festival studies (de Valck, Kredell & Loist 2016; Ostrowska & Falicov 2024). The first part covers the history and theories of film festivals, examining them as networks and ecosystems. This section will also cover methodological approaches in the study of festivals. The second part focuses on specific festivals, analyzing their role in negotiating identities and shaping film history, the formation of audiences and communities through curation and exhibition practices. Attendance at film festivals during the semester is encouraged.