Japan 361
The Films of Koreeda Hirokazu
Winter 2022
LOEW 102
Instructor: Prof. Davinder L. Bhowmik (she, her, hers)
Office: Gowen Hall, Mezannine 239
Class: TTh 1:30-3:20 Remote through January and possibly longer: Meeting ID: 971 6308 4449
Office hours: Thursdays 9-11 a.m. (remote) or by appointment: Meeting ID: 913 8422 1125
Email: dbhowmik@uw.edu
Classlist: japan432awi22@uw.edu
Course description: Koreeda Hirokazu (1962-) is an award-winning Japanese director whose feature films contain elements of the documentary genre. This course is structured around analysis of the director’s major films to date. In particular, the class will consider the demarcation between feature and documentary film in several of Koreeda’s acclaimed works such as Maboroshi, Afterlife, Nobody Knows, Still Walking, Like Father, Like Son, and Our Little Sister. The focus of the course will be on the auteur, but we will also compare and contrast Koreeda to fellow directors; learn the socio-cultural context of the films; and analyze the works using discipline-specific terminology.
No knowledge of Japanese is required; all films are subtitled in English. I will provide you links to all films as they become available to me from the LLC.
Grading:
Participation: 20%
Discussion Board, Responses, Film Journal and other Writing Assignments: 25%
Midterm examination: 25%
Final project (film trailer): 30%
Participation: Before class meets students will be expected to complete all assigned readings and films and should expect to be called on. Participation will take the form of large, medium, and small group discussion. It may include arguing a point, raising a question, taking a reading or film quiz, or responding to another student or to me. Please bring your readings to class for easy reference.
Required Text:
Linda C. Ehrlich, The Films of Kore-eda Hirokazu: An Elemental Cinema
Academic Accommodations: If you would like to request accommodations due to a learning disability, please contact:
Disability Resources for Students
011 Mary Gates
206-543-8924 (Voice)
206-543-8925 (TTY)
206-616-8379 (Fax)
Religious Accommodations:
Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/ (Links to an external site.)). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/ (Links to an external site.)).
Academic Misconduct: The presentation of another person’s words and ideas as one’s own is a serious offense; violations will be dealt with according to the University codes of conduct, which stipulate sanctions up to and including expulsion.
Reading List (Subject to Change)
Week One
Jan 4 Introductions
Jan 6 Japanese Film History in Brief & Film-Specific Terminology
Week Two
Jan 11 Ehrlich 1-57
Jan 13 Maboroshi discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=25606
Group 1 submits film response by noon Jan 13.
Week Three
Jan 18 Ehrlich 59-90: Still Walking discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=23512
Jan 20 After the Storm
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=25609
Week Four
Jan 25 Ehrlich, 91-114; Afterlife discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=23511
Jan 27 Nobody Knows discussion.
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=24633
Week Five
Feb 1 Ehrlich, 115-127; Distance discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=23761
Feb 3 Take-home Midterm Examination
Week Six
Feb 8 Ehrlich, 129-143
Feb 10 The Third Murder discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=25607
Week Seven
Feb 15 Ehrlich, 145-168; Airdoll discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=23759
Feb 17 Ehrlich, 159-164; I Wish discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=23760
Week Eight
Feb 22 Ehrlich, 165-178; Like Father, Like Son discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=23513
Feb 24 Ehrlich, Our Little Sister discussion
evideo available through UW Library
Week Nine
Mar 1 Ehrlich, 179-192; Hana discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=23758
Mar 3 Ehrlich, 193-210; Shoplifters discussion
https://depts.washington.edu/llc/lr/media/view.php?id_file=24995
Week Ten
Mar 8 Mini-presentations
Mar 10 Mini-presentations
Final Project (film trailer or scene rewrite) due no later than midnight Friday, March 18 via Canvas.