CNTP347

One of the most relevant developments in American culture of the last two decades is the emergence of independent cinema as a viable alternative to Hollywood. Cinema is one of the dominant art forms of the 20th Century but its influences in our society can't be fully understood until we consider the complex, dissonant and diverse voices coming from the independent film movement. This course examines the socio-economic, political and artistic forces that led to the rise of American independent cinema and the artistic and political impact of independent movies in depicting the cinema of the "other America." This course on critical issues in American independent cinema will analyze contemporary independent movies as a form of counter-cultural expression and multi-diverse production with the goal of proficiency in understanding and analyzing the manner in which visual language, genre forms, narrative structures, and modes of production generate meaning(s) to diverse contemporary audiences. Satisfies CA upper level core.