Realism and Cinema

Module code: HA2114

This module focuses on an issue that has been central to film and cinema from its nineteenth-century origins to the digitalisation of the twenty first century -the ability of the camera to give an impression of reality. Through an examination of selected films, developments in the history of cinema, and theoretical debates, we will explore the relationship between this impression and the attempt to use film to show things as they are. We will explore how the nature and understanding of realism has changed across different historical, cultural and filmmaking contexts, examining the potential and limitations of film realism.