Acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese has been quoted as saying he has a “passion for the humor and panic of Polish cinema.” Scorsese’s thoughts notwithstanding, the University of St. Thomas-Houston’s St. John Paul II Institute is offering a six-week course in Contemporary Polish Cinema on Wednesdays from April 17 to May 22.

The live, online classes, which will also be recorded, will be taught by Dr. Agnieszka Oskiera, Polish language and culture instructor at Loyola University in Chicago.

Dr. Oskiera said, “We will look at the films from both historical and aesthetic perspectives to reveal the main trends of Polish cinema. These will include socialist realism and cinema of moral concern.”

At the end of the course, students should:

·      Be familiar with the history and most important facts about contemporary Polish cinema.

·      Know the major Polish filmmakers and their best works.

·      Be able to analyze and discuss all elements brought together in a film.

·      Be able to use source materials, scientific aids, IT databases, collect and cull research material needed to better understand modern Polish cinema.

This engaging and informative course consists of six modules, including an introduction to Polish cinema, a biographical film about Pope John Paul II, the story of Lech Wałęsa, and a 1982 retro gangster comedy.

If contemporary Polish cinematography has captured the imagination of Martin Scorsese, perhaps it’s time to dive in and learn more. To sign up for the course and get more information, go here.