LARTS 384 — Reel Asian America

3 credits
Fall
Sheetal Majithia

Prerequisite: LARTS 112 . How are Asian Americans represented in film, and how Asian American filmmakers represent themselves? How do film forms created by and about Asian Americans explore issues of race, gender, and nationalism? This course examines a range of media forms, including canonical, independent, commercial, documentary, animated, and experimental films as well as music videos, YouTube videos, and games. Drawing on film and media literacy frameworks, ethnic studies, and American studies, students will deepen their critical thinking skills and learn to interpret media in a historical context. Films include features such as Everything Everywhere All at Once and Mississippi Masala; experimental documentaries such as History and Memory; and video game-derived works such as Who’s That? Brooown! These works will guide students in learning how migration, belonging, and cultural citizenship broaden our understanding of the nation at large.