Bard High School Early College DC (Bard DC) – Screening China: Modern Chinese Civilization through Film

Apr 2026 · 2nd Semester

This course offers students a view into China through the best of China's films. The ten films selected for this course are internationally acclaimed from the best Chinese directors of different generations, offering varied perspectives into China's many transformations since the twentieth century. The films are arranged in the chronological order. The topics are designed to give the class a sample of the richness and complexity of Chinese history and society, such as the woman problem, urbanization and its consequences, and family in its evolving definition. The thematic focus of this course will be double: we will recognize the developmental challenges facing contemporary Chinese; meanwhile, we will also learn to appreciate the artistic merits and aesthetic sensibilities of those films. This course will be discussion intensive. Prior knowledge of the Chinese language or history is not required but will be convenient.