Program Overview

CINEMA AND CULTURAL HISTORY (LM)

Overview

The teaching aims to analyze and discuss some aspects of the relationship between cinema and cultural history.

Aims and Content

Learning Outcomes

The objective of the teaching is to deepen students' knowledge of the history of cinema through a culturalist perspective, analyzing its characters, themes, figures, genres, and authors in relation to its relationship with the media system and with the cultural history.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the main theoretical and historiographical articulations of the relations between cinema and cultural history. They will have to articulate autonomous and critical views on the methods of cultural history as applied to film history and theory.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are needed.

Teaching Methods

Lectures will be held in-person, with classroom viewings and seminar discussions.

Syllabus/Content

Stardom in a Cultural Perspective

The teaching aims to explore, within the more general field of the cultural history of cinema, the study of actorhood and stardom from a culturalist perspective.

Recommended Reading/Bibliography

• Program for 6 CFU
  • Gabriele Rigola, L'officina dell'attore. Una storia culturale del divismo cinematografico in Italia, Meltemi, Milano
  • Richard Dyer, Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society, Kaplan, Torino, 2003
  • Materials provided by the professor at the beginning of class
• Program for 9 CFU
  • Gabriele Rigola, L'officina dell'attore. Una storia culturale del divismo cinematografico in Italia, Meltemi, Milano
  • Richard Dyer, Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society, Kaplan, Torino, 2003
  • Federico Vitella, Lettere ad Alida Valli. Il culto di una diva nell'Italia fascista, Marsilio, Venezia, 2025
  • Materials provided by the professor at the beginning of class
• For non-attendees: Giulia Muggeo, Marcello Mastroianni, Carocci, Roma, 2024

Teachers and Exam Board

• Professor: Gabriele Rigola
• Exam Board
  • Gabriele Rigola (President)
  • Luca Malavasi

Lessons

Lessons Start

16 September 2025

Class Schedule

The timetable for this course is available on the Portale EasyAcademy

Exams

Exam Description

The examination will be oral.

Assessment Methods

In the oral examination, knowledge of the specific topics covered in the classroom and presented in the texts will be ascertained, with particular attention to analytical and critical skills in discussing themes, arguments, and cases.

Exam Schedule

• 19/12/2025, 14:30, GENOVA
• 14/01/2026, 14:30, GENOVA
• 28/01/2026, 14:30, GENOVA
• 04/06/2026, 14:30, GENOVA
• 25/06/2026, 14:30, GENOVA
• 16/07/2026, 14:30, GENOVA
• 14/09/2026, 14:30, GENOVA

Further Information

For any other information, please refer to the course materials or consult with the professor.