An introduction to the history of Polish cinema, in historical and cultural context, from the 1950s to present day. In addition to discussing major schools such as the Cinema of Moral Anxiety, as well as influential directors such as Wajda, Polanski, and Kieslowski, the course focuses on important issues of Polish culture: its location at the crossroads of East and West; its complex narratives of history, memory, and trauma; and its transformations in the aftermath of Communism's fall in 1989. Polish cinema also serves as starting point for a broader discussion of the possibilities and limits of artistic representation of nations, cultures, historical events, and gender/class/ethnic relation. Finally, the course reviews basic film theory terms, main critical approaches to film criticism, and ways of writing about film.