Film Club/ Film Course Discussing Ethical Dilemmas Portrayed in Eastern-European Cinema

During the Fall semester the course titled “Ethical Dilemmas in Eastern-European Film” covers an array of ethical problems that challenge an individual both in his/her home country and a foreign society. Each class includes the screening of a film displaying particular moral problems in Eastern European societies followed by a discussion of the film, the film language used, and related ethical issues. Special attention will be paid to a comparison of the social situations and moral problems in Eastern Europe with similar cases in Western countries and the US. Main topics to be covered include social, cultural and national self-identity, the consciousness of the past, corruption, migration, abortion, drugs, homelessness, prostitution, organized crime, euthanasia, paedophilia, and the function of faith.

 

Please, note that any English speaking student is most welcome to the course, no special knowledge of film history or theory is needed. Since the classes also function as a film club, the screenings are open to interested visitors without credit requirements.

 

Course title: ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN EASTERN EUROPEAN FILM 

• Code: CAMP0101/ERAS0101/MSNB0
• Teacher: László Tarnay, associate professor, Dept. of Film Studies, Faculty of Humanities
• Language: English
• Venue: Campus Ifjúság útja 6., Building D. Room D 005.
• Time: Tuesday, 4 pm – 7 pm
• Credits: 3
• Assessment:attendance, contribution to the discussions, or term paper (appr. 7000 characters space included)
• No preliminary knowledge in film studies is required.

 

The course is an introduction into the visual representation of social and individual life in Eastern Europe by highlighting the major ethical problems that people in the ex-socialist countries are inevitably confronted with. Some of the problems are specific of the region, at least in their frequency, like social, cultural and national self-identity, the consciousness of the past, the corruption of the administrative system, the fear of migration, suicide rate, abortion, or the legalization of death sentence, some are more general that can challenge an individual anywhere in the world notably drugs, homelessness, prostitution, organized crime, euthanasia, cyber bullying, paedophilia, and the perversity of faith.

Each class consists of the screening of a film (with English subtitles) featuring a variety of the moral problems listed above. The screening is followed by a discussion of the film including the filmic language used and related topical and moral issues.

 

Schedule

  

11 September

What is a Moral Dilemma? 

Film: Golubović, Srdan (2007): The Trap (Klopka) 106’ (Serbian)

 

18 September

Problems of Identity: Who am I? The Burden of the Past

Film: Ferenc Török (2017): 1945 91’ (Hungarian)

Wladislaw Pasikowski (2012): Aftermath 107’ (Polish)

 

 

25 September 

Who am I? Sex, Gender and the Sense of Belonging

Film: Thomas  Wasilewski (2016): United States of Love (Zjednoczonestany milosci) 86’ (Polish)

Rajko Grilic (2016): The Constitution (Ustav Republiek Hrvatske) 93’ (Croatian)

 

2 October 

Intruding Territories: Natives versus E/Immigrants

Film: Komandarev, Stephan (2015): Sadileshto (The Judgement) 108’ (Bulgarian)

 

9 October

Military Zones: Order and Chaos, and the Aftermath of War

Film: Matanić, Dalibor (2015): The High Sun (Zvidan) 123’ (Croatian)

Goran Radovanovic (2015): Enklave (Enklave) 92’ (Serbian)

Danis Tanovic (2001): No Man’s Land (Bosnian)

 

16 October

Social Minorities: Inside/Outside or beyond Society: the Orphan

Film: Rsumovic, Vik (2014): No One’s Child (Nicije dete) 95’ (Serbian)

Social Minorities: Inside/Outside or beyond Society: the Outcast 

Film: Trzaskalsky, Piotr (2002): Edi 104’(Polish)

Serban, Florin (2010): If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle (Eu cand vreau sa fluier, fluier) 82’ (Romanian)

 

6 November

Individual versus Social Behaviour: Abortion, Perversities

Film: Mungiu, Christian (2007): 4 Months, 2 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 2 saptamani si 2 zile) 113’ (Romanian)           

Adrian Sitaru (2016): Illegitim (Ilegim) 87’ (Romanian)

 

13 November 

Overcoming Handicaps: Organized Crime

Film: Attila, Till (2015): Kills on Wheels (Tiszta szívvel) 105’ (Hungarian) 

 

 

20 November 

The Perversity of Faith: Religion versus Church

Film: Mungiu, Christian (2010): Beyond the Hills (Dupa dealuri) 150’ (Romanian)

Pawlikowski, Pawel (2013): Ida 83’ (Polish)

 

27 November

Altered States: Drugs, Alcohol, Prostitution

Film: Kozole, Damjan (2009): A Call Girl (Slovenka) 90’ (Slovenian)

Lukas Moodysson (2006): Lilja 4ever 109’ (Estonian)

 

4 December 

Individual Honour versus Social Career

Film: Grozeva, Kristina & Pawel Valchanov (2016): Glory (Slawa) 101’ (Bulgarian)

 

11 December

The Paradox of Choice: To Love or Not to Love

Film: Ildikó Enyedi (2017): On Body and Soul (Testről és lélekről) 113’ (Hungarian)

 

All screenings with English subtitles!