Japanese Documentary

EAS 55 (4.0 units) – Session I

This course offers an introduction to the history and theory of Japanese documentary filmmaking. We will begin with the prewar period and move through to contemporary documentary practices. Japan has a rich tradition of nonfictional film and theory, and the course will cover key theories and writings that have shaped documentary in Japan. Topics may include but are not limited to prewar silent cinema, the student movements of the 1960s and 70s in Tokyo, rural documentaries, documentary and transmedia (anime, literature, television), explorations of sexuality and gender, the ethics of self-documentation, and more. Knowledge of Japanese is not required. (IV and VIII )