Module manager: Prof Helen Finch
Email: H.C.Finch@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module examines German-language Cinema since 2000, a period when filmmakers have enjoyed success at home and abroad. Students will look at a range of representative films in order to examine the state of the German-language film industries, along with the ways in which contemporary cinema reflects broader cultural, social and political debates. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
The aim of this module is to: introduce students to a range of contemporary German-language films. It will deepen their understanding of key shifts and tensions within contemporary German-language film culture and theory. It will also deepen their understanding of how these shifts relate to broader (trans-/inter-) cultural and social developments. These objectives combine with the skills objectives of clear communication and evidence-based problem solving. These objectives are achieved by weekly student-led seminars, and class discussion of key readings and films.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Evaluate contemporary German-language cinema making use of specific examples.
2. Appraise current debates surrounding the German-language film industries and the films they produce.
3. Analyse a range of filmic texts in their cultural context
4: Communicate a structured argument, using appropriate concepts and terminology
5: Choose appropriate evidence to support solutions to identified problems.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Student progress will be monitored on a regular basis via participation in seminar discussion and group presentations (these are mainly formative but contribute 20% to the module mark).
Students will receive additional feedback and support when planning their essay. The feedback from the seminar presentations and on the essay plans (appropriateness of title and research questions; appropriate selection of secondary literature) will assist with writing the end-of-module essay.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Frame analysis | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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