Here are the exam questions from June 2010′s paper for Aspects of a National Cinema. These are the questions you need to answer using either Mexican or Iranian films.

1. From the Films you have studied for this topic, what do you identify as characteristics of the national cinema from which they come?

For this question you would have needed to demonstrated the following:

• A detailed and sophisticated knoweldge and understanding of the films studied
• A sound understanding of contexts within which the national cinema can be understood.
• An ability to make some convincing connections between specific film characteristics and the national cinema
• You may also take a sceptical view of the terms of the question: that a national cinema has distincitive characterisitics.

2. In what ways have your contextual studies contributed to your understanding and appreciation of the films you have studied for this topic?

For this question you will need to have demonstrated the following:

• A detailed and sophisticated knoweldge and understanding of contextual factors – both institutional and cultural – within the national cinema studied.
• A sound understanding of specific films with an ability to make detailed and close reference to telling and relevant detail in developing a response to the question
• An ability to develop a convincing argument for the value of contextual studies in enhancing appreciation of both specific films and the national cinema
• You may also develop an argument that non-national contextual factors, such as auteurism and international film styles , are of greater significance.

Posted in FM4 World Cinema

For section A of the FM4 paper you are to answer 1 question from a choice of 2 that refer to Aspects of a National Cinema, this is for both Mexican Cinema and Iranian Cinema. You must refer to at least 2 films in your answer if you are hoping to gain respectable marks, you should also avoid trying to write about every film you may have studied for this topic.

Sample exam questions

1. To what extent do the films you have studied explore tensions within society as opposed to being simply stories about individuals?

2. Compare some of the stylistic features in the films you have studied discussing how far they make for a distinctive kind of cinema.

Posted in FM4 World Cinema

There is a screening of Juan, I Forgot I Don’t Remember (Del Olvido Al No Me Acuerdo) at the Picturehouse on Wednesday 10th March at 5pm.

Posted in FM4 World Cinema, News

Year 13 students were set the task of filming an everyday task in the style of the French New Wave.

Posted in FM4 World Cinema