Instructors:
PD Dr. Heinz Hiebler
Displayed in timetable as:
Real Fiction
Language of instruction:
German
Min. | Max. participants:
- | 20
Comments/contents:
In the context of digitalisation, the delicate relationship between media and reality is constantly being renegotiated. The current approaches of a New Realism face the challenge of reweighting the priorities between facts (realities) and interpretations (fictions). On the one hand, it is important to counteract the danger of an absolute loss of reality, as it is negotiated in (de)constructivist approaches under the catchwords of simulation or hyperreality; on the other hand, it is important to avoid losing sight of the increasingly obvious influence of the media on our reality. Since a clear separation between facts and fictions can no longer be guaranteed in any area of life, the "twisted[] difference between being and seeming" (Gabriel 2020, 17) must be rethought. How reality and fiction mutually condition and fertilise each other will be put up for debate in the seminar with the help of vivid film examples. The starting point for media theory is the proximity of photographic and cinematic technologies to external reality, which is repeatedly proclaimed but also questioned. In addition to classics of realistic cinema, current concepts such as the dogma film, mockumentaries or current historical, fantasy and science fiction films will be dealt with or selected from the perspective of the negotiation process between reality and fiction.
Learning objectives:
The aim is a theoretically grounded examination of the relationship between media and reality, the complexity of which is illustrated by representative examples from the history of film.
Didactic concept:
Introduction and orientation take place in lecture form. Selected basic texts and films are part of the exercise. They are discussed and analysed together in the seminar, with the respective speakers presenting their findings as experts on the topic and moderating the joint discussions.
Literature:
Bazin, André: Was ist Film? Berlin: Alexander 2004.
Enderwitz, Anne; Rajewsky, Irina O. (Hg.): Fiktion im Vergleich der Künste und Medien. Berlin, Boston: de Gruyter 2016.
Gabriel, Markus (Hg.): Der Neue Realismus. Berlin: Suhrkamp 2014.
Gabriel, Markus: Fiktionen. Berlin: Suhrkamp 2020.
Hiebler, Heinz: Die Widerständigkeit des Medialen. Grenzgänge zwischen Aisthetischem und Diskursivem, Analogem und Digitalem. Hamburg: Avinus 2018.
Jörissen, Benjamin: Beobachtungen der Realität. Die Frage nach der Wirklichkeit im Zeitalter der Neuen Medien. Bielefeld: Transcript 2007.
Kirsten, Guido: Filmischer Realismus. Marburg: Schüren 2013.
Kracauer, Siegfried: Theorie des Films. Die Errettung der äußeren Wirklichkeit. Vom Verfasser revidierte Übers. v. Friedrich Walter u. Ruth Zellschan. Frankfurt/Main: Suhrkamp 1964.
Metten, Thomas; Meyer, Michael (Hg.): Film. Bild. Wirklichkeit. Reflexion von Film – Reflexion im Film. Köln: von Halem 2016.
Moller, Sabine: Zeitgeschichte sehen. Die Aneignung von Vergangenheit durch Filme und ihre Zuschauer. Berlin: Bertz + Fischer 2018.
Sextro, Maren: Mockumentaries und die Dekonstruktion des klassischen Dokumentarfilms. Berlin: TU-Verlag 2009.
Additional examination information:
Performance requirements: regular active participation in the seminar, preparatory readings and viewings; oral presentation (with paper); depending on the module requirements, possibly also a term paper.
