Course

The view from abroad, courtesy of foreign filmmakers speaking primarily to viewers in their own countries, is refreshing, revealing, and occasionally jarring. This course’s lineup of films encompasses a range of documentary approaches and techniques, with each film — most of which haven’t screened in the U.S. — followed by a discussion of its goals, strategies, aesthetics, and ethics. We will examine central aspects of nonfiction films, including the representation of reality, the properties of storytelling, and the interplay between advocacy and art.

Michael Fox is a film journalist and critic for KQED Arts, among other outlets. A member of the San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle and inductee in the San Francisco Film Society’s Essential SF, he has taught documentary classes at OLLI @Berkeley for 15 years.

This is an In-Person-Only Course

• Classes will be held at University Hall, 2199 Addison St, room 150.
• Classes will meet in person only, and will not be livestreamed nor recorded.
• Course materials will remain available to enjoy through May 31 in the Member Dashboard. Learn more.
• Fee assistance is available if cost is a barrier. Learn more.

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Monday, April 10 and ends on Monday, May 15.
• Classes meet for six weeks, 2 hours per session.

Faculty Interview

• Read an interview with Michael Fox from our archive.