Film Seminar with Nick Ripatrazone
Reading Film: The Art of Cinematic Attention
"The lights go down," Jules Romains wrote in 1911. "The group dream now begins."
Over a hundred years later, film remains one of the most powerful and transformative art forms.
This is a class for film lovers. We will spend the week watching and talking about movies with the recognition that enhancing our understanding of film technique will increase our appreciation for the art form. We will embrace how movies offer us communion; we can come together to share an artistic experience, and yet also form deep and personal emotional connections. Participants will read some dynamic, creative film criticism and write a bit about films themselves, within an inviting environment that encourages play and contemplation. We will operate with Roger Ebert's principle of "democracy in the dark": all of our voices matter.
This course will increase your appreciation for film and help you "see" the world with an artist's attention and care.
Each Day
We will watch movies–in part, and in full–and refine our ability to talk and write about film by discussing the movies, followed by brief periods of writing. We will respond both emotionally and intellectually.
Preparation
We will read "Mise-en-scene: Within the Image" by Ed Sikov; this foundational essay will help us talk about film together.
Supplies
Please bring a laptop, headphones, and a notebook for writing.
Who is best suited for this class?
Anyone who loves movies, regardless of film criticism or film analysis experience is welcome. Alums of previous Glen film seminars are welcome to return: the readings and films are new selections.
About the Instructor
Nick Ripatrazone is Image's culture editor. He has written about film and other subjects for Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, GQ, Slate, the Sewanee Review, Commonweal, and Esquire. He is a regular contributor to Lit Hub, and a Contributing Editor for the Catholic Herald (UK). He has taught courses on film, literature, and writing for Syracuse University, Rutgers University, and the College of New Jersey. He is the co-host of the Jesuit Media Lab Book Club, where he interviews award-winning writers about their craft. His books include The Habit of Poetry (2023), Digital Communion (2022), Wild Belief (2021), and Longing for an Absent God (2020). He is currently writing a book on living with dignity in a technological world for the University of Notre Dame's Ave Maria Press.