Perspectives on International Cinema (Cannes Film Festival)

Penn-in-Cannes is designed for students interested in the film industry and international cinema. Using the Cannes Film Festival as its focal point, the program examines the ways in which international film functions in the context of celebrity, marketing, and festivals. The scope and substance of the festival provide a unique opportunity, not only for students of cinema, but also for liberal arts students studying cultural diversity and international relations. In preparation for fieldwork at the Cannes Film Festival in May, two three-hours introductory lectures will be held in late March and April on Penn's campus to enable students to establish a critical vocabulary for film study. The lectures and subsequent discussions will examine: a) The Business and Art of the Film Festival; b) Contemporary International Cinema. Those introductory lectures will be coordinated with the Philadelphia Film Festival, which is held on April 5-18, 2007. During both the Philadelphia Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival, students attend screenings of current international films, applying the critical tools and knowledge of the film industry gained from their earlier work. Students research and critique both the artistic aspects and the commercial film industry.