FILM 41.23 Sport Film

This course critically examines the role of the sport film as a cinematic genre with significant social and cultural relevance. By analyzing narrative and documentary feature films exhibiting an array of sporting styles, students will explore and identify underlying themes, narrative arcs, character types, and visual aesthetics. Drawing on key concepts from film theory and cultural studies, the course asks students to critically assess how sports films reflect and refract issues of race, gender, class, nationalism, and the commodification of the athlete. Dissecting common master narratives illustrated in most sport films, students will analyze genre conventions and their evolution over time and across different filmmaking traditions. Through this exploration, students will consider the social, cultural, and historical implications of sport films on the screen and beyond. Assignments for this course consist of seminar-style in-class discussions, short paper responses, one short film exercise, and culminates with a research project. 

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:ART; WCult:CI

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Film and Media Studies