Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Languages & Cultures School
This course, taught in French, provides students with an overview of some technical, methodological or theoretical questions relevant to the study of cinema as an art form and requires students to analyse French or Francophone films from within the theoretical frameworks examined. Topics and approaches to be covered will be those most relevant to the study of the films in question and thus may cover areas such as auteur or genre theory and non-narrative filmmaking.
FREN3360 assumes no prior knowledge of French cinema or film theory.ﾠ It consists of an introduction to cinema in French through the analysis of a selection of key films by some of the most celebrated and/or innovative filmmakers since the 1950s.ﾠ The corpus of films to be studied include both canonical features in French as well as those films over the past seventy years seen to be indicative of new directions in cinema in French.ﾠ These films also belong to some of the most significant movements since the 1950s, including the Nouvelle Vague of the 1960s, the cinéma du look of the 1980s, le jeune cinéma of the 1990s and beyond (including the cinéma de banlieue/cinéma queer),ﾠ the cinéma de sensation/cinéma du corpsﾠ of the new millennium as well as Québecois and Belgian cinema.
The course will also serve as a general introduction to film theory and to film analysis, in particular in relation to the evolution of auteur theory, gender representation and genre theory.ﾠ Several sub-themes will be explored in the course of the semester, including the relationship between the body and space, the film de rue and the film de route, the cinematic love triangle, the femme fatale and the homme fatal and questions of marginality and identity.ﾠ
Students will look at how the diverse elements of film-making--the mise en scène, sound, lighting, framing, music, acting, camera shots and movement etc--combine to render the filmic text readable.ﾠ
Of course, speaking and analysing films in French requires knowledge of the vocabulary specific to the discipline.ﾠ Thus, an integral part of the course will include the acquisition of the technical terminology specific to the discipline in order to discuss films in an appropriate academic manner in French.
More broadly, the course will help develop competency in critically analysing audiovisual texts and in understanding how those texts convey meaning and position spectators.ﾠ Learning a specific technical vocabulary and specific theories and applying this to the analysis of texts is, of course, a skill translatable to many other fields.ﾠ From a linguistic perspective, learning to talk about plot, genre and themes and learning to compare and contrast in French are similarly skills translatable to many other courses and areas of expertise.
For most weeks, the program will consist of a lecture (two hours maximum), a one-hour tutorial,ﾠ plus a film screening for which three hours have been reserved in the case of longer films, though if a livestream version of the film exists on the library website, there will be no screening that week.ﾠ Students who cannot make it to screenings may view the films in their own time in the library.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Successful completion of FREN3111 or FREN2112/FREN3112 or placement test. The formal prerequisites for FREN3360 are noted above. Students who do not fulfil those prerequisites, but who have an equivalent knowledge of French (e.g. from equivalent formal prerequisites gained interstate or overseas, or from residence in a French-speaking country) are permitted to enrol in FREN3360, but they must consult the course coordinator beforehand. Please also note that enrolment may be refused on the basis of such knowledge or abilities, and enrolment in a different course may be recommended. If a student enrols in a course for which they hold incompatible qualifications, they may be advised to cancel their enrolment, and continued enrolment may result in a forfeiture of credit for this course. Any misrepresentation on the placement interview may be raised as a misconduct matter.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
FREN2112, FREN3112, FREN3111
Course staff
Course coordinator
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
There will only be film screenings for those films where there is no livestream version available to students. Please see Blackboard for further details on which specific films will require screenings.
Public holidays:
Alternative arrangements for affected students will be announced through the Blackboard site.
Class allocation:
In order to optimise the student experience, it may be necessary to reallocate students to a different class from their first choice.
Before this happens, every effort will be made to enable students to voluntarily change into an alternative class that is suitable.
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email hass.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Additional information and support can be found here.
Aims and outcomes
This course has several objectives. On completing the course, you should have:
- a general knowledge of some of the key films, auteurs and movements in French and Francophone cinemas of the 20th and 21st centuries
- a knowledge of the key theories relating to cinema and the ability to identify characteristics specific to particular auteurs and movements
- the ability to speak and write in French about cinema using the appropriate cinematographic terminology as well as to analyse critically audiovisual texts in French
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Blackboard Viewing/Reading Tasks
|
10% |
Task 1 - 4/08/2025 10:00 am Task 2 - 11/08/2025 10:00 am Task 3 - 18/08/2025 10:00 am Task 4 - 25/08/2025 10:00 am Task 5 - 1/09/2025 10:00 am Task 6 - 8/09/2025 10:00 am Task 7 - 15/09/2025 10:00 am Task 8 - 22/09/2025 10:00 am Task 9 - 7/10/2025 10:00 am Task 10 - 13/10/2025 10:00 am Task 11 - 20/10/2025 10:00 am Task 12 - 27/10/2025 10:00 am
The tasks are due by MONDAY 10am of the designated week. WEEK 10 (Task 9) is due on TUESDAY 10am. |
| Presentation |
Oral Presentation
|
30% |
WEEK 5 Tues - WEEK 13 Tues Students must sign up for the presentation date by Monday in Week 3. 20 minutes maximum, the transcription should be from 1,000-1,200 words. |
| Examination |
In-semester exam: comparative analysis of two film sequences
|
20% |
25/09/2025
WEEK 9 in class (Thursday) |
| Essay/ Critique, Examination |
End of semester exam
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
End of Semester Exam Period |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Blackboard Viewing/Reading Tasks
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
Task 1 - 4/08/2025 10:00 am
Task 2 - 11/08/2025 10:00 am
Task 3 - 18/08/2025 10:00 am
Task 4 - 25/08/2025 10:00 am
Task 5 - 1/09/2025 10:00 am
Task 6 - 8/09/2025 10:00 am
Task 7 - 15/09/2025 10:00 am
Task 8 - 22/09/2025 10:00 am
Task 9 - 7/10/2025 10:00 am
Task 10 - 13/10/2025 10:00 am
Task 11 - 20/10/2025 10:00 am
Task 12 - 27/10/2025 10:00 am
The tasks are due by MONDAY 10am of the designated week.
WEEK 10 (Task 9) is due on TUESDAY 10am.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04
Task description
Students will complete a series of viewing/reading tasks available on Blackboard in the course of semester based on film screenings and readings for particular weeks. There will be a total of twelve tasks available in the course of semester with the top ten tasks counting for the final overall result of 10%. Each task is weighted equally.
The tasks are available for a week and are due by Monday at 10am for the designated week. Task 9 in WEEK 10 is due on Tuesday October 7 at 10am.
Please note: The tasks are to be completed using Inspera Assessment. Inspera Assessment provides additional functionality to complement the existing suite of digital learning tools at UQ with a greater range of question types, accessibility provisions, and non-English languages. Students in this course will complete these tasks using their own devices. Further details, including an introduction to Inspera functionality, practice opportunities and where to go for support will be provided in the Blackboard site for this course in Week 1 of the semester.
AI and MT Statement
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
The tasks are to be completed through the FREN3360 Blackboard site.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
No extensions will be granted, as students are provided with ample flexibility to complete these tasks: 1) each task is open for a seven-day window, and 2) only the best 10 out of 12 results are counted towards the final grade. Answers are released to all students after the submission deadline.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
No late submission is possible as resulsts are released to all students after the submission deadline.
Oral Presentation
- Identity Verified
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
WEEK 5 Tues - WEEK 13 Tues
Students must sign up for the presentation date by Monday in Week 3.
20 minutes maximum, the transcription should be from 1,000-1,200 words.
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Secure.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Students will do one oral presentation with a partner from WEEK 5 in the tutorial session.
STUDENTS MUST SIGN UP TO A PRESENTATION SLOT BY MONDAY WEEK 3. A timetable for presentations will then be posted on Blackboard by the start of WEEK 4.
General instructions:
With your partner (unless course enrolments permit individual representations), you will choose a film from a list published on the Blackboard site and you will compare it to one or more of the films screened in the course of the semester. For your comparison, you will formulate a research question and you will analyse the film according to one of the approaches discussed in class (for example, according to auteur theory, genre theory, in relation to specific cinematic movements etc).
Alternatively, you could choose a particular stylistic trait of the film--the sound, the lighting, the editing, the music etc--and discuss it from a theoretical or technical perspective.
You will specify the precise subject of your presentation in the introduction (for example, a specific thematic studied in accordance with auteur theory etc).
It is important to remember that other students won't necessarily have seen the film you are presenting. It will be necessary therefore to:
- give essential details on the film (release date, director, principal actors, themes)
- situate it in terms of the work of the director, filmic movements etc
- situate the film in relation to genre
- give a brief summary of the plot
- presentations are expected to be around 20 minutes max.
Marking criteria:
- As specified in the criteria, you will need to demonstrate: your knowledge of the films compared; your understanding of the relevant film theory; your use of the correct cinematic terminology; and understanding of relevant secondary material. You will also be assessed on the quality of your spoken French and the dynamism of your presentation.
- Your presentation will include a PowerPoint with still images from the film though not actual film clips (as these take up too much time in class).
- For integrity purposes, you will need to provide a written transcription of your presentation (from 1,000-1,200 words) including bibliography which you will also upload to Turnitin on the FREN3360 Blackboard site by 12pm the Friday of the week of your presentation.
- You will be given a collective grade for the analysis and an individual grade for the French.
More detailed instructions will be distributed in class and posted on the Blackboard site.
AI and MT Statement
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Working in teams
Please note that your presentation will work best if you work as a team. For example, you may decide to divide the presentation into sections for different team members to work on, but your presentation will be stronger if all team members read each other's work and offer feedback and advice. This will make the overall presentation more coherent.
If one or more group member does not participate with the group (i.e. attending meetings, responding to messages, completing drafts in a timely manner as decided by the group, submitting work as requested), the group member may be removed from the group and required to complete work individually without the benefit of feedback from the other member(s) of the team. It is incumbent upon team members to treat each other professionally and to report to the course coordinator if a member has been non-responsive or non-participatory. If a team member is removed from a group, he or she will be notified in writing by the course coordinator.
If you have circumstances which prevent you from working in a group, you must formally request permission to complete this assessment item individually by emailing the course coordinator before team assignments are made. Your request should include supporting documentation or refer to a SAP.
Submission guidelines
You will need to provide a written transcription of your presentation including bibliography which you will also upload to Turnitin on the FREN3360 Blackboard site by 12pm the Friday of the week of your presentation.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
A maximum extension length of 7 calendar days will allow for students' suitable progression with their sequence of learning and preparation for the following assessment submission.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
In-semester exam: comparative analysis of two film sequences
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
25/09/2025
WEEK 9 in class (Thursday)
- Other conditions
- Time limited, Secure.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
In WEEK 9 of semester, students will sit an invigilated Inspera exam in which they will be shown two sequences from one of the obligatory films screened from WEEKS 1 to 8 of the semester. Students will be asked to write a comparative analysis of the two sequences focusing on a particular thematic and explaining the relationship between the two scenes and other scenes relating to the same thematic in the film (does the second sequence simply reinforce the thematic developed in the first, or does it represent a variation or evolution of the thematic, or does it subvert the thematic previously presented, for example). Alternatively, students may concentrate on a stylistic aspect of the film (narrative structure, acting, editing, sound, lighting etc) but must specify which particular stylistic aspect and its relation to the chosen thematic. A brief description of each sequence analysed should be given (three or four sentences maximum) which will give students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of appropriate cinematic terminology.
Students will need to bring their own device and headset/earbuds etc. in order to take this exam. Further details will be published on Blackboard.
Length : 600-800 words
AI and MT Statement
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten or typed notes, single sided, is permitted, with 10 dot points and 10 words per dot point + One paper French-French dictionary is permitted |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
This is a timed activity that students access via Blackboard link in ORT Assessment folder. It is conducted on the Inspera platform, and answers are automatically submitted at the designated end time.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
End of semester exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
End of Semester Exam Period
- Other conditions
- Time limited, Secure.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Students will do an end of semester exam in which they will write an essay of 800-1,200 words responding to one of a set of questions. The general topic areas from which these questions will be drawn will be published on Blackboard in WEEK 11 of semester. Students will learn the specific questions relating to these topics in the exam.
Please note, you will not be permitted to choose as the principal object of your analysis a film by a director whose work was the object of your oral presentation, but you will be allowed to make reference to those films.
AI and MT Statement
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
THIS EXAM IS A HURDLE REQUIREMENT. STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE 40% ON THIS EXAM (16 out of 40) IN ORDER TO PASS THE COURSEExam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten or typed notes, single sided, is permitted, with 10 dot points and 10 words per dot point maximum + one paper French-French dictionary is permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
STATEMENT ON EMAIL USE AND IDENTIFICATION
All students must have a UQ email address and UQ identification card. Students are expected to check their UQ email routinely as this address will be used for information about the course and its assessment. An official UQ ID card is required for attendance at the final examination.
STATEMENT ON HELP WITH ASSIGNMENTS
All submitted tasks should be the work of the student and theﾠstudent alone. This means that students are NOT to seek unauthorised outside help (which may include help from other students,ﾠteachers, private tutors, ghost writers, advanced/native speakers) either in theﾠpreparation of written tasks or in checking for errors before tasks are submitted.ﾠPlease check each assessment item for explicit instructions on the use of generative artificial intelligence tools.ﾠCases where students are suspected of having usedﾠunauthorisedﾠoutside help will be referred to the School of Languages and Cultures Integrity Officer for further investigation.
Where assignments are to be uploaded to Turnitin:
*ﾠ It is the student's responsibility to upload their own work to Turnitin and to ensure that the digital copy uploaded is the final copy of the assignment and not a draft.ﾠ Students are also encouraged to fully reference their articles even as they are drafting (putting quotes in quotation marks, references and page numbers in parentheses, footnotes etc).
NB: You must achieve a minimum of 40% on the final assessment task to pass the course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Weeks 1-13 Lecture series Weekly lectures on film auteurs, movements, and theories. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Weeks 1-13 Tutorials One hour tutorial from Weeks 1-13 on selected auteurs, movements, theories and cinema-specific terminology in French. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 12 |
Workshop |
Weeks 1-12 Film screenings There will be film screenings for those specific films for which a livestream film is not available to be viewed at home. All films will be shown with English or, where possible, French subtitles. Please see Blackboard for further details. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.