Filmmakers and cinephiles in Qatar will have the chance to deepen their knowledge of film history with Doha Film Institute’s (DFI) ‘Watching the Classics’ online lecture series, set to take place on August 23 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm (Doha Time).
Presented by renowned scholar Richard Peña, professor of Film Studies at Columbia University and director Emeritus of the New York Film Festival, the lecture series will focus on “an undisputed world cinema classic”.
“In the monthly sessions, Professor Peña will present a given film within its aesthetic, economic, technological and social/political context, detailing each director’s formal techniques while teasing out the implications of these artistic and technical decisions,” DFI posted on its website.
Participants are advised to view the films via popular streaming services before each session to get the most from the programme.
They can also send questions to the speaker at the end of each session.
“In this expanded “Watching the Classics”, we will have the chance to explore a wide-range series of international cinematic landmarks, exploring this idea of the “classical narrative” in several contexts,” DFI added.
Topics to be explored each week include: The transition to sound cinema, the increasing role of governments in film production, the impact of World War II, the impact of notions of “realism” and “modernism” on filmmakers and audiences.
“In the monthly sessions, Professor Peña will present a given film within its aesthetic, economic, technological and social/political context, detailing each director’s formal techniques while teasing out the implications of these artistic and technical decisions,” DFI posted on its website.
Participants are advised to view the films via popular streaming services before each session to get the most from the programme.
They can also send questions to the speaker at the end of each session.
“In this expanded “Watching the Classics”, we will have the chance to explore a wide-range series of international cinematic landmarks, exploring this idea of the “classical narrative” in several contexts,” DFI added.
Topics to be explored each week include: The transition to sound cinema, the increasing role of governments in film production, the impact of World War II, the impact of notions of “realism” and “modernism” on filmmakers and audiences.
