In the Archives

In this collaborative film production course, taught simultaneously in Palestine, Bangladesh and Berlin, students will explore the concept of "the archive" in its many forms—personal, family, community, local, national, original, and found footage—to examine, challenge, and reimagine how narratives are constructed and understood.

Through a mix of discussions and screenings, including works like Chris Marker’s La Jetée, Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell, and Mia Engberg’s Belleville Baby, students will analyze how archival materials reveal hidden histories, shape collective memory, and question the nature of truth in storytelling. The course will balance creative experimentation with technical skill-building, encouraging students to critically engage with how archives and documentation influence our perception of space, time, and identity, both in the past and present.

By the end of the course, students will have utilized both newly recorded and archival footage to craft complex narratives rooted in their localities, producing short documentary projects that challenge conventional storytelling and push the boundaries of the genre.