Film is the most interdisciplinary of all the arts in that it represents a synthesis of literature, theatre, painting, photography, music, and video. It borrows from all of them to create the most powerful, persuasive, and popular art form of the past 120 years. As a narrative art, it closely resembles painting and photography. As a time art, it is structured much like music.
In their borrowing from other arts, motion pictures naturally embrace a diversity of themes and address a multitude of complex issues. They take students to other times and places and encourage them to consider viewpoints beyond their immediate circumstances. Through the study of films, students develop a greater appreciation for cultural diversity and a better knowledge of human history.
The purpose of this program is to encourage students to understand the relationship between film and other arts and to gain an appreciation for those motion pictures that address diverse themes and reflect the values of other cultures.