Overview
Aims
to make students understand the relation between literature and film
to make students able to understand hoe biblical stories may appear in cinematography
to make students be aware of the Christian Orthodox approach to art in general and to film in particular
Course contents
In this course, students will explore the adaptation of literature into film, as well as the nature of both literary and audiovisual language. We will examine the specific characteristics of each—along with their points of convergence—while emphasizing the fundamental principle that, in this relationship, the written word serves as the primary medium of communication, with the cinematic medium deriving, in part, from it.
Furthermore, we will discuss films based on the lives of saints, drawing on examples such as ”Man of God” (Yelena Popovic, 2021), ”Cloaked in Faith and Humility” (a film about Saint Gabriel the Georgian), ”The Life of Saint Joseph the Hesychast”, ”The Voice Crying in the Wilderness” (Ciprian Mega 2021), and ”Moses the Black” (Yelena Popovic, 2026). Finally, we will explore the approach to biblical themes in cinema through the following films: ”The Passion of the Christ” (Mel Gibson, 2004), ”Noah” (Darren Aronofsky, 2014), and ”Ruth & Boaz” (Alanna Brown, 2025). We will explore the potential for addressing Eastern Orthodox themes in film by examining ”The Island” (Pavel Lungin 2006) and ”The Morning That Will Never End” (Ciprian Mega 2016).
We will also discuss the grace of the Holy Spirit, freedom, obedience to the Orthodox Church, and artistic intuition, with reference to ”Andrei Rublev ” (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1966) and the book ”Tarkovsky: Film as Prayer” by Elena Dulgheru. Furthermore, we will revisit ”Man of God” (Yelena Popovic, 2021) by looking at the director’s testimony regarding the genesis of the film and her creative process.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- better understand the relationship between the literature and the film
- know several cinematographic works that render the lives of some Christian orthodox saints
- discuss about several films inspired from ”Bible” and their very different ways of treating these stories
-understand, from the Christian orthodox point of view, art means a combination of freedom, mission, praying and asking for the Grace of the Holly Spirit
Assessment
oral exam, personal film projects