2025/2026

European Cinema from 1945 to the Late 1980S

Type: Mago-Lego

Delivered by: School of Foreign Languages

Where: School of Foreign Languages

When: 1, 2 module

Open to: students of all HSE University campuses

Instructors: Olga A. Kolykhalova

Language: English

ECTS credits: 6

Contact hours: 40

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course will introduce students to post-war European cinema, exploring its historical context, artistic styles, and key themes. The course will examine the major aesthetic trends in European cinema from 1945 to the late 1980s. The main objective is to introduce students to the works of important European directors and actors from a range of national cinemas. Thus, the course will examine Italian neorealism, British classical and commercial cinema, as well as British Ealing comedy, Swedish cinema, the French New Wave, and new Spanish cinema. Students will also be introduced to basic film terminology. The course features seminars, which enable students to analyse plentiful information through involvement in discussions of different sources covering various standpoints on history, culture, principal aesthetic trends, social context, economy and politics; along with presentations, quizzes, etc. Designed to emphasize independent thought, it also envisages various research projects conducted in small groups on a wide range of topics related to its subject. To fulfill the requirements of the course students need to have a good command of written and spoken English (the required language proficiency level is B2-C1).

Learning Objectives

• • To broaden one’s knowledge about the major aesthetic trends in European cinema from 1945 to the late 1980s, putting them in the larger context of the thematic concerns of the directors and actors, as well as the specific historical events and cultural influences to which these directors responded.
• • To increase one’s proficiency in reading, listening, reflecting, analyzing critically, and interpreting assigned Key Films in a range of national cinemas from a historical and contextual perspective, both orally and in writing.
• • To hone one’s Critical Reading, Critical Listening, Critical Thinking, and Critical Writing skills necessary for advancing clear and compelling arguments in the interpretation of a film, which in its turn will enable students to communicate their own and other scholars’ reflections of trends in the national cinemas, showing intercultural understanding and ethical awareness.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Students obtain a systematic understanding of the works of important European directors and actors from a range of national cinemas, considering the geopolitical context, major stages of development, background, current situation, and major trends in the countries’ development.
• Students engage with, reflect on, and respond to critical artistic, cultural, historical, political, economic topics (significant events, data of the given period; power and influence of important European directors and actors, etc.) as well as discuss their significance for the development of the cinema.
• Students develop analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as reading and writing skills; work with both primary and secondary sources of information; provide one’s own opinion, and take part in arguments on a variety of topics (individually or in small groups).
• Students learn key historical events, cultural developments, and artistic movements related to European cinema from the given list of films; read critically, comprehend, and produce clear, informed, independent opinions and judgements on the assigned Key Film(s); formulate - both orally and in writing - arguable claims and react to others’ ideas about the assigned Key Film(s).

Course Contents

• Introduction. Le Bal Ettore Scola.
• Italian Neorealism
• British Ealing comedy
• British Ealing Comedy.
• The French New Wave.
• Cinema of Sweden
• New Spanish cinema
• Anticipating the future: Contemporary British cinema

Assessment Elements

• Seminar Attendance and Participation 0,2
  Проводится: 1 модуль 2025/2026, 2 модуль 2025/2026, Учебный период, Оценивается: 2 модуль 2025/2026 Описание: To validate the course, students are expected to participate in group discussions and in-class assignments at every seminar. If a student actively participates in class discussions during ALL classes or more, they will get a +1 bonus point added to their scaled grade (масштабированная оценка). Students should inform their instructor about their excused absences before the class (not after) by email, and provide the doctor’s notes and other documents about them. An excused absence is an absence due to a number of accepted reasons such as a medical or personal issue beyond one’s control, participation in a significant extracurricular university event, conference etc. If the absence is excused, the grade for seminar attendance will not be reduced. Критерии оценивания: In evaluating one’s attendance and participation, the instructor will use a plus / minus scale: “plus” – present; “minus” – absent. The total points (all of one’s pluses earned) will be converted to a percentage, which will be subsequently translated into an HSE grade according to the following scale: 96-100% = 10; 91-95% = 9; 86-90% = 8; 78-85% = 7; 71-77% = 6; 61-70% = 5; 51-60% = 4; 36-50% = 3; 21-35% = 2; 1-20% = 1; 0% = 0.
• QUIZZES GRADE (in Smart LMS) (0.1)
  During seminars, ongoing quizzes will evaluate students’ understanding of required topics, content of required films/reading and/or videos. It is up to the instructor to decide whether to give a test; students may not be warned about it in advance. The grade depends on the percentage points a student gets for the quiz (see below). Quizzes are compulsory and final and cannot be retaken. If the absence is excused, the grade for the test is not taken into account. The grade for quizzes is the average grade of all the quizzes taken by the student during the course.
• PRESENTATION 0.2
  There will be three compulsory presentations as a way for students to demonstrate understanding and mastery of the Key Films in their own unique way. Instructions and scoring rubrics will be given via Smart LMS per task. The tasks are chosen on a “first come, first served” basis. The mean grade for all these tasks is not rounded. Критерии оценивания: Students must give presentations on time. Otherwise, they will get a zero regardless of any excuses.
• WRITTEN TASKS 0.1
  There will be two compulsory written tasks as a way for students to demonstrate understanding and mastery of the Key Films in their own unique way. Instructions and scoring rubrics will be given via Smart LMS per task. The tasks are chosen on a “first come, first served” basis. The mean grade for all these tasks is not rounded. Students must submit their papers on time. Otherwise, they will get a zero regardless of any excuses.
• MIDTERM ESSAY 0.1
  The purpose of this literary analysis essay (3-5 A4 pages long PLUS a References page) is to carefully examine an aspect of a Key Film discussed during seminars (module 1) and to present an argument / claim about it. The list of topics and guidelines will be given via Smart LMS two weeks before the deadline. Each student must choose a topic from the list provided and write their essay during hours of self-guided work. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. For each plagiarized sentence, the student loses one point (for example, 8 → 7). If there are more than three plagiarized sentences in one’s work, the grade for the essay is a zero. This paper should incorporate at least two additional sources. These sources may include critical perspectives, authorial commentaries, and / or historical assessments. The essay should be uploaded before the deadline. If one’s essay is late, it is not accepted or assessed – the grade is a zero.
• THE FINAL PROJECT (0.2)
  The final project includes two parts:  submitting a research paper (0.1)  making a presentation (0.1) Students are to find, read, analyze, and comment on a film from the list compiled by the course instructor. Next, they are to prepare a compulsory presentation and a research paper summarizing their thoughts. The films are chosen on a “first come, first served” basis. Further instructions will be given via Smart LMS. Thus, the project includes a research paper and an oral presentation. In reporting on the project, students should show that they can: identify a meaningful issue relevant to the theme of the chosen film; collect up-to-date information about the issue; analyse, interpret and discuss the information; draw conclusions; and write and present a paper in accordance with academic standards at the graduate level. Students must prepare and present their project together as a team of two people. Group projects can improve student learning, retention, and overall academic success. Properly structured, group projects can reinforce skills that are relevant to both group and individual work, including the ability to:  break complex tasks into parts and steps;  plan and manage time;  refine understanding through discussion and explanation;  develop stronger communication skills. Group projects can also help students develop skills specific to collaborative efforts, allowing students to:  tackle more complex problems;  delegate roles and responsibilities;  pool knowledge and skills;  establish a shared identity with other group members.
• EXAM ESSAY
  The written examination consists of a literary analysis essay (3–5 A4 pages long PLUS a References page), the purpose of which is to carefully examine an aspect of a Key Film discussed during seminars (module 2) and to present an argument / claim about it. The list of topics and guidelines will be given via Smart LMS two weeks before the deadline. Each student taking the exam must choose a topic from the list provided and write their essay during hours of self-guided work. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. For each plagiarized sentence, the student loses one point (for example, 8 → 7). If there are more than three plagiarized sentences in one’s work, the grade for the essay is a zero. This paper should incorporate at least two additional sources. These sources may include critical perspectives, authorial commentaries, and / or historical assessments.

Interim Assessment

• 2025/2026 2nd module
  0.1 * EXAM ESSAY + 0.1 * MIDTERM ESSAY 0.1 + 0.1 * PRESENTATION 0.2 + 0.1 * PRESENTATION 0.2 + 0.05 * QUIZZES GRADE (in Smart LMS) (0.1) + 0.05 * QUIZZES GRADE (in Smart LMS) (0.1) + 0.1 * Seminar Attendance and Participation 0,2 + 0.1 * Seminar Attendance and Participation 0,2 + 0.2 * THE FINAL PROJECT (0.2) + 0.05 * WRITTEN TASKS 0.1 + 0.05 * WRITTEN TASKS 0.1

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• A history of Italian cinema, Bondanella, P., 2009
• Andre Bazin and Italian neorealism, , 2011
• Encyclopedia of contemporary Italian culture, , 2002
• Fifty key British films, Barrow, S., 2008
• Great british identity, , 2010
• Identity, interest and action : a cultural explanation of Sweden's intervention in the Thirty Years War, Ringmar, E., 1996
• The discourse of Italian cinema and beyond : let cinema speak, Piazza, R., 2012
• Unraveling French cinema : from L'Atalante to Cache, Kline, T. J., 2010
• Velez-Serna, M. (2012). Explorations in New Cinema History: approaches and case studies; Cinema, Audiences and Modernity: new perspectives on European cinema history. Historical Journal of Film, Radio & Television, 32(3), 489–491. https://doi.org/10.1080/01439685.2012.699625
• Vital crises in Italian cinema : iconography, stylistics, politics, Sitney, P. A., 2013

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Abel, R. (2005). Encyclopedia of Early Cinema. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=106201
• Nowell-Smith, G. (1997). The Oxford History of World Cinema. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=287585
• Thomas Elsaesser. (2005). European Cinema : Face to Face with Hollywood. Netherlands, Europe: Amsterdam University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.3C7E5016

Authors

• Kolykhalova Olga Alekseevna
• BAKULEV Aleksey VALENTINOVICH