I took this class asynchronously and highly recommend it as a GE. The movies can definitely be... boring, to say the least, but they're not the worst and some of them were quite enjoyable. Definitely watch the lecture on 1.5/2 X speed, Professor Brozgal talks a little bit slow and it makes the note-taking process sooo much faster.

There was never an exam in this class, just 3 quizzes every ~3 weeks covering the cinematic elements and film we had watched during the week prior. They're only about 20/30 questions and I was always able to finish them pretty quickly.

The way she sets up the "plan of attack" for each week was incredibly helpful and I found it to be quite useful to the course materials we were covering that week. I hardly ever did the readings unless they were short and I don't think I missed out on that much in doing so, as she would go over the important things from each one during the lectures she recorded.

Very interesting and eye-opening class, definitely recommend especially if you're trying to complete your diversity requirement. :)

One of the most fantastic classes this school has to offer. This class is the perfect GE. Fair workload, engaging topics, and an understanding Professor. If you pay attention to the lectures, you will have no problem getting a good grade in this class.
One tip: Whenever she mentions any formal film analysis, make sure to study those hard. The quizzes can be tricky, but everything on the quiz was mentioned in the course material.
The films are spectacular and the subject material complicates your perspective on the discussion of race. Absolutely recommend to anyone and everyone to take this class before they graduate.

If you are interested in the race culture of France within cinema, then this is the class for you. A lot of the topics are mundane, which is why an interest in France and its culture is recommended. Workload includes watching 1-2 movies per week on your own and 2 papers. Overall a fairly easy GE for performance analysis. There were some interesting movies, and some hard to keep going with. Grade is dependent on your TA and their grade of your papers. The midterm and final are online on your own. There were tricky questions, but if you study and pay attention, you should be just fine.

I loved Professor Brozgal’s lectures. She explained each film during each lecture and also connected it with the theme of the class. All her grading was straight forward and she was very honest with it. As long as you do all of the required readings and watch all the films, then the class should be relatively easy. you do have to write 2 essays, but as long as you can answer the question then you should be good to go. The only reason I got a B was because i did not watch all the films and skipped some lectures so i deserve it. Just make sure to do what she asks and you’re good to go !

Overall, this was a good class. The workload was somewhat heavy -- 1 to 2 movies per week, a couple essays throughout the quarter, one discussion leading project, and not easy tests, but the material was pretty interesting. Plus, it's a BruinCasted GE, which is a lifesaver.

NOTE: Prof. Brozgal calls her FRNCH 41 course "France and Its Others: Race, Ethnicity, and Difference in French Cinema". In other words, the course focuses exclusively on films that reflect racial and socioeconomic divides in France, from the colonial era to present day.

Professor: Prof. Brozgal is very nice, approachable and often humorous. She Bruincasts lectures and uploads slides so that students can rewatch/revisit the topics that we go over. She carefully chose a variety of films from different time periods (one of them was not shown to the public) so we can see the transition in portrayal about the element of race in French society. Prof. Brozgal has much knowledge about the films and offers insight on how to interpret scenes, themes and relevance tied to reality (Prof. Brozgal acknowledges that it is often subjective but it is quite interesting to hear some different and much deeper perspectives that I have never thought of)

Content: film techniques/analysis, movie plot and interpretations, historical events in France relevant to the film

Workload: Watch 2 films and read corresponding reading per week. Two critical essays per quarter (1000 words each, discusses the themes). Will have to prepare a discussion question/ choose a film segment and lead a discussion session

Grading: 10% Participation & Preparation + 10% Discussion Leading + 20% Critical Essays (2) + 30% Midterm + 30% Final

Details:
1. Exam format is 50 multiple choice questions taken on laptop with LockDown Browser. The test opens on Friday afternoon and closes on Monday afternoon so you can choose any 2 hours over the weekend to complete the assessment. Study definitions, film terms and important details. They are the easiest ones to forget/make mistakes on.
2. Attendance is crucial as every unexcused absence will drop your grade in participation by a grade (ex. A to A-)

A great and easy GE to take! The professor is the best lecturer I've had- the lectures always feel very well prepared and fluid. Professor Brozgal also very genuinely cares about her students and is very kind and approachable! Homework is 1-2 movies per week to watch at home and some readings, so about 3-5 ish hours of hw every week. There's a course reader you can buy for the readings, but all the readings are also online for free (as are the films) so there's no real need. Grade was based on a midterm and a final that were both worth 30%, two essays both worth 10%, participation (basically going to discussion) worth 10%, and a five minute presentation you have to do for your discussion worth 10%. The midterm and final are both taken online over the weekend and the questions are pretty easy if you've watched all the movies/read the important readings. Attendance is only taken for discussion, and all the lectures are bruincasted in case you miss one. If you're interested in French culture or cinema at all, I highly recommend this class! It's very easy to get an A as long as you put some effort into the class.

This is a pretty straightforward class with a really wonderful set of films chosen by Professor Brozgal that really exemplify the themes found in French cinema. It's also not a particularly difficult course although the grading depends solely on your TA, I was really fortunate to get Connor, who is amazing and really helped me out with my essay writing. 9/10 great GE to take.

Dr. Brozgal really cares about her students and the material she puts forth, as well as her clear, well thought-out lectures show this. The class is broken into movie viewings (which you can watch on your own on CCLE, later, so missing class isn't a huge issue), and then a lecture in which she expands on the topics in the film and the readings (this lecture is super helpful to go to). There are discussion sections once a week, where participation is taken into consideration. The workload is very manageable and the grading for the two essays seemed reasonable. Definitely would take again, as I learned a lot about film and led me to consider lots of racial questions in the context of France and the U.S. Great class overall.

I loved this class! The class format is a movie in lecture on Tuesday, a lecture on the movie on Thursday, and section on Friday. The class focuses on film as a way of understanding culture, and the lectures are more focused on French culture, although there is some discussion of film terms and techniques. The specific focus is on the French understanding of race, which I found super interesting. The professor is amazing, super nice and accessible, and a very clear lecturer. The readings were generally pretty short and easy but interesting, and the two essays for the course were short and easy. The class has a midterm and a final, but both are online, multiple choice, 50 questions, and really easy, and the final isn't cumulative. I would definitely recommend this class for a GE or the French minor. Connor was a great TA and was super helpful.