ROMANIA TRANSFORMED (Romanian Literature, Art and Film)
Situated at the border between the East and West, Romania embodies the co-existence of cultural paradoxes informing major artistic trends and ideologies during the last 100 years. The course investigates the roots of surrealism, dadaism, theatre of the absurd, as well as practices of resistance against totalitarian regimes, and women's roles in forging a new democratic society. The students will learn about New Romanian Cinema and will have the unique possibility to attend the 8th edition of the Romanian Film Festival (November 12-21) and meet with Romanian film directors and actors. Taught in English, no knowledge of Romanian is required.
Readings
Poems: Tristan Tzara, Ana Blandiana, Daniela Hendea, Paul Celan;
Plays: Eugene Ionesco's Chairs (1952), Matei Visniec's The Body of a Woman as a Battlefield in the Bosnian War (2000)
Short Stories: Gherasim Luca's The Passive Vampire (1945), Mircea Cărtărescu's The Architect (1989)
Essays: Emil Cioran's Letter to a Faraway Friend (1960) and Aphorisms from the Trouble of Being Born and Tears and Saints
Novellas: Herta Müller's The Passport (1989), Gellu Naum's Zenobia - excerpt(1985)
Films:
Tales from the Golden Age, dir. Ioana Uricariu, Hanno Hoffer, 2009
The Legend of the Official Visit. Ioana Dir. Uricaru. 2009.
Occasional Spies. Dir. Oana Giurgiu. 2021.
The Campaign. Dir. Marian Crisan. 2020.
General Education Requirements met:
Individuals and Societies (I&S)
Visual, Literary and Performing Arts (VLPA)
Evaluation
20 % oral presentation;
30% short paper;
50 % final paper about 9-10 double spaced pages.