Course Information

About this course

From the great auteurs in European filmmaking to the provocateurs of the contemporary art scene, this course examines artistic expression in European cinema and visual arts. What role does independent film and art movements play in 20th and 21st century Europe? How are aesthetics influenced by the changing political landscape? When do visual arts go beyond consumerism? We work on a case study of subversive art in Europe and meet with Danish directors to discuss film.

Syllabus

Spring 2026 – Section A

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Spring 2026 – Section B

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Travel on Study Tour

You only take one Core Course per semester, and each Core Course includes two Study Tours: one Short Study Tour to a nearby destination for three days, and one Long Study Tour to another European country for six days.

Led by your faculty, Study Tours take you into real-world settings where you will apply what you’ve learned outside the classroom.

Check out the Study Tours for this course
Students sitting on the floor in a modern building, engaging in a group activity with papers and notebooks scattered around.

Faculty

Lærke Posselt

Freelance photojournalist working for Danish and International media. Represented by VU Agency. BA in Photojournalism from Danish School of Media and Journalism (2008-2013). Recipient of numerous awards, including World Press Photo, Pictures of the Year international, PDN Photo Annual and the Danish Crown Prince Couple’s Rising Star Award. With DIS since 2015.

Morten Egholm

Ph. D., Film Studies, University of Copenhagen, 2009. Cand. mag., Scandinavian Studies, Film and Media Theory, University of Copenhagen, 1997. Associate professor in Danish Language, Literature and Culture, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 2002-2006. Has written several articles in Danish, English and Dutch on film history, Scandinavian film, Danish literature, Danish theatre, and Danish and American TV series. Editor (2010-2015) of and peer reviewer (2015-) for the film journal Kosmorama. With DIS since 2008, since January 2012 as full time faculty.

Long Study Tour

About this tour

Prague and its Gothic cityscape is an established home for leading artists, film directors, and intellectuals, and the city has a lively artistic subculture. We will utilize post-communist Prague as a case study to identify subversive artistic expression in European cinema and visual arts, and examine the role of independent film and art movements in 20th and 21st century Europe.

Vienna offers an opportunity to interpret the layers of history, from the Baroque city created during the Habsburg Empire to Viennese Actionism. How has radical art undermined and questioned the former imperial city and helped to manifest Vienna as the most significant place for contemporary culture in Central Europe? We will explore the relations of Austria and the Czech Republic through the lens of selected artists, such as Egon Schiele, Valie Export, and Michael Haneke.

We will learn how events of history and shifting ideologies continue to shape artistic expression, and vice-versa. We will explore how art can offer the most progressive and challenging ideas to the overall social discourse of society through visits to exhibitions, independent contemporary galleries, film schools, and historical sites. Lectures and discussions with directors and artists will supplement the visits.

Throughout the study tour we will utilize Prague and Vienna as our classroom contextualize the theories discussed in the core class and experience visual arts in Eastern Europe.

Learning outcomes

  • Identify subversive artistic expression in European cinema and visual arts with Prague and Vienna as case studies
  • Gain an understanding of the role of independent film and art manifestations through discussions with local film directors and artists
  • Explore how aesthetics have been influenced by the changing political and historical contexts in Central Europe

Possible activities

  • Have a discussion with Filip Remunda, director of the prize winning film Czech Dream
  • Visit to the Prague Film School and the DOX Center for Contemporary Arts
  • Experience a classical concert in Vienna

Prague

About this tour

Rome is a captivating fusion of classical art, modern art, and groundbreaking Italian film, which invites exploration of its cinematic and artistic vibe. Modern and contemporary art flourishes at museums like MAXXI and MACRO, while the city streets serve as a lively canvas for street art. Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, the heart of Italian filmmaking, unravels the country’s cinematic legacy, fusing the city’s vibrant history with storytelling on the big screen. The Study Tour delves into Rome’s role as an important city in European film history, featured in 20th-century classics from directors like Fellini and De Sica and in works by filmmakers such as Paolo Sorrentino and Alice Rohrwacher in recent years.

Learning outcomes

  • Explore themes introduced in class through relevant visits and tour destinations, facilitating learning beyond the classroom and enabling students to gain first-hand experience of the topics studied
  • Understand how architectural monuments, art works, films, and music are shaped by, and have in turn also shaped, Italian and Roman culture, and our perception of the country and the city
  • Gain knowledge of the history and culture of Italy

Possible activities

  • Visit the Cinecittà film studio
  • Embark on a ‘La Dolce Vita’ walking tour
  • Explore places like the MAXXI museum, MACRO museum, Galleria Borghese, Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, classical concert or opera

Rome

Short Study Tour

About this tour

Core Course Week, including the short Study Tour, allows us to delve into the theme of Nordic Visual Arts. We will have a two-day seminar in the Copenhagen area, focusing on the role of art and cinema in the Nordic countries today. We will then venture to Western Denmark on a three-day study tour, where we will travel to the European Film College in Ebeltoft and ARoS Museum of Modern Art in Aarhus.

Through discussions and visits to these institutions, as well as important historical sites, you will learn more about Danish culture and better understand the tradition from which Nordic artists have come and the context in which they create.

Learning outcomes

  • Examine, compare, and contrast the role of art and cinema in Nordic countries today
  • Expand your understanding of the current trends in Nordic Visual Arts through visits to exhibitions and discussions with Danish students
  • Understand artistic expression beyond mainstream and how artists and filmmakers are expanding the traditional use of media

Possible activities

  • Meeting and Q&A with a Danish film director

  • Tour the ARoS Museum of Modern Art
  • View student produced films at the European Film College