This online curriculum serves not as a one-for-one replacement of the existing film "canon" but as an expansion, a reimagining, of what films we consider important and worthy of teaching in our classrooms. Rooted in the personal experiences and research interests of the creator, this work is primarily being conducted through the uplifting the films led by Black actors and/or directed by Black people but remains inclusive of the works of other historically marginalized creators. The calls for increased diversity that this project aims to address include both diversity related to identity and to the various forms in which a film can exist (eg. genre). In engaging with this curriculum, educators are urged to reconsider whether the films they teach in their cinema studies courses are truly the most exemplary of a particular cinematic technique or theme. Students are urged embark on their own journeys of taste acquisition to define "quality" and "excellence" for themselves. Ultimately, what this work asks of all members of the film community is to question.
|
/ Reimagine
|
"Rather than a catch-all ‘greatest films of all time,’ the subjectivity of taste and personal investment should be considered when carving out a path for new cinephiles to navigate the vast labyrinth of cinema" — Lillian Crawford, "It's Time to Rethink the Established Film Canon"
|