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FS20260

Academic Year 2026/2027

Global Film & Media: Cinemas of the Middle East and North Africa (FS20260)

Subject:
Film Studies
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
English, Drama & Film
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Yulia Gilichinskaya
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module will introduce students to the diverse cinematic traditions of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as well as provide an overview of the historical development of film in the region and a grounding in the socio-cultural contexts in which films have been produced. The module is concerned with how cinemas of the MENA region engage with themes of colonialism and decolonisation, nationalism, revolution, war and displacement, migration, gender and sexuality, religion and secularism, and questions of censorship and artistic freedom. The course will employ a variety of film theories, including postcolonial and decolonial, feminist, queer, and Third Cinema, to provide the analytical tools for critical analysis.

The module will attend to the diversity of film forms within the Middle East and North Africa, hence the “cinemas” of the course title. Additionally, this module will explore shared intra-regional cinematic trends pertaining to discourse, aesthetics, production, and distribution. Similarly, the course will explore “national cinema” vis-à-vis intra-national religious, ethnic, and linguistic differences, on the one hand, and transnational/global media forces, on the other hand.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

1) demonstrate knowledge of major developments, movements, and filmmakers in Middle Eastern and North African cinema;

2) analyse films using appropriate concepts and methods from film studies;

3) situate Middle Eastern and North African cinemas, its themes, forms, and industries within local, regional and international contexts and discourses;

4) evaluate the relationship between cinema and the historical, political, and cultural contexts of the MENA region.

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 3

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 1

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 3
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Tutorial

12
Studio

24
Specified Learning Activities

26
Autonomous Student Learning

26
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lecture, group discussion

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of English, Drama
and Film are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review
by another grader. This is to promote consistency within and between modules in the same level and discipline.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation in lecture discussions and tutorials.
Week 9 - final project proposal is due in tutorial.		 Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
20
 No
Individual Project: A short reflective video response - no longer than 5 minutes. A prompt will be provided in class. Week 5 Graded No
20
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Final project - 2000 words. Week 14 Graded No
60
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Cait Murphy Tutor
Mr Odin O'Sullivan Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Wed 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Film Screening Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Wed 16:00 - 18:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 2 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Autumn Tutorial Offering 3 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 11:00 - 11:50
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