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SLL10080

Academic Year 2026/2027

Introduction to Global Cinema (SLL10080)

Subject:
Languages, Cultures & Ling
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Languages, Cultures & Linguis
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Eva Bru-Dominguez
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 is core for Stage 1 students of International Modern Languages. Focusing exclusively on cinema, students will reflect on how representation through film affects our understanding of the societies and cultures of the world. Through this introductory module, students will learn how the study of cultural production is an essential means through which to engage with the cultural and societal issues at the core of Modern Languages as an academic discipline.
The module will begin by grounding students in the key concepts of film analysis to equip them with the skills necessary to critically analyse film, from an in-depth analysis of individual scenes to a comprehensive critique of entire works. Through a series of lectures and interactive seminars, students will embark on a comparative journey to reflect on the importance of cinema as a tool through which to expand their immersion in the study of Modern Languages.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Identify and discuss the use of various cinematic techniques.
2. Analyse and interpret an individual scene, and an entire film, using appropriate vocabulary and critical skills
3. Discuss a work of cinema within its wider historical and social context.
4. Reflect on the role of cultural production as a tool for the study of Modern Languages.
5. Carry out a comparative analysis of multiple films which demonstrates active engagement with secondary criticism.
6. Demonstrate an ability to work effectively in groups.

Indicative Module Content:

The main theme underpinning the selection of films is the tension between fantasy and reality in the depiction of societal issues. The selected films represent a range of experiences including those of young Black women in the banlieues of Paris, migrant workers in Barcelona, a mother struggling to hold onto the socialist values of East Germany, and a young Maya woman navigating her spirituality, identity, and pregnancy in Guatemala. While some films may seem to provide a realist representation of the lives of marginalised communities, students will be urged to consider who is behind the camera and how such depictions can affect our perception of reality and our fantasies of the other.

Films to be studied [Available to stream on Brightspace]:

Girlhood (2014) [French, with English subtitles]
Biutiful (2010) [Spanish, with English subtitles]
Goodbye Lenin! (2003) [German, English subtitles]
Ixcanul (2015) [Maya kaqchikel, with English subtitles]

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.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

11
Specified Learning Activities

36
Autonomous Student Learning

52
Total

110

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will taught by more than one instructor. Classes will include a combination of lectures and interactive seminars. Students will be divided into groups for the final assessed task and group work will be encouraged throughout the semester.

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
Exam (In-person): In-class scene analysis test (50%) Week 10 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
50
 No
Group Work Assignment: Group presentation to be recorded and submitted by the end of the semester (50%). Week 14 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
50
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

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
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will participate in scene analysis seminars before the in-class scene analysis test in Week 10. They will receive written feedback on the test by the end of the semester. They will participate in group activities leading up to the group assignment. They will receive feedback on the group assignment on Brightspace when examination results are released.

Name Role
Dr Rodrigo López Martínez Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Douglas Smith Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Small Group Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Mon 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Small Group Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
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