Both Dust in the Wind (1986) and Still Life (2006) are realist films, yet both are also highly stylized and push the limits of cinematic realism. Explain how each film introduces a new level of formal complexity to the realist aesthetic, and how its unique cinematic strategies allow it to capture the complexity of the very reality lived by its characters.
Your answer need not be comprehensive, but should demonstrate your understanding of the key issues, your insights into the course materials (including films, readings, lectures and discussions), and your ability to synthesize ideas and organize a coherent analysis.
Support your analysis by judiciously mentioning specific examples from the films.
In each essay, you should meaningfully incorporate the ideas of class readings in order to bolster your argument. Do not use outside sources, as this is not a research paper.
Note: You are expected to properly cite the readings after each direct or indirect quotation, using parenthetical in-text citation: (author, page number). No need to produce a bibliography the syllabus works as a general bibliography.
