The course explores the development of contemporary cinema by visiting specific landmark periods in which technologies, historical circumstances and theories contributed to an understanding of moviemaking as we know it today. It aims at familiarizing students with important milestones in the history and theory of film, selected on the basis of their overall impact on the lineage of cinema. After exploring the early origins of film, the course passes through pillar theories of the 20th century, reaching all the way to contemporary digital movies. Although some of the theories partially overlap with one another historically, the course material is arranged in chronological order so that those theories are contextualised within the era in which they were formed. This way, being more than a linear account of the evolution of film, the course provides students with a comprehensive mural of the most important chapters in the history of cinema, as well as the opportunity to visit them critically. During the course a number of thematically appropriate visual clips and other examples will be employed for a better consolidation of the material presented in the lectures.
