Course Name: HIST 38595 Memory, Imagination, and Power: History Through Documentary Filmmaking
Description: This course will explore, analyze, and debate European, Italian, and Florentine history through the lens of documentary films. From historical documentaries on ancient Rome to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, to films addressing critical contemporary issues of migration, climate change, human rights, war, and more this course explores how documentary films interpret history, make history and in some cases, have even changed history. Students are invited to ask deep questions about the very nature of storytelling in the context of making history: Do documentaries tell the truth? Can we rely on them as sources of history? Who or what shapes the narrative of history for people, ideas, and even nations? What is the role of media and technology (especially artificial intelligence) today in shaping storytelling for history? How does the delivery platform (streaming services, theatrical distribution, YouTube, etc.) alter critical and audience reception and ultimately the cultural impact of every film? Each week, students will watch several documentaries in order to compare and analyze the different perspectives on story telling technique and presentation of historical “facts.” In addition, students will visit significant historical sites in Florence that are featured in the documentary films themselves in order to develop their own sense both of history and of narrative. At the end of the course, students will pitch story ideas for documentaries that engage with public history in Florence and extend the lessons of the past into the future.
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Sophomore Standing