Some scholars argue that film, an essentially twentieth-century medium, has shaped the mental universe of the century. Throughout the century, cinema has maintained a complex and evolving relationship to historical events and circumstances. This course will cover major works of French cinema from the late nineteenth century to the present with a view to exploring this relationship. We will address questions such as whether films are products of a particular socio-historical context, how they have shaped and reflected historical events, and how they have actively intervened in debates over the writing of history and memory. Throughout the course, we will pay particular attention to the specificities of film form and language in negotiating these relationships. Directors covered will include the Lumière brothers, Méliès, Renoir, Clouzot, Marker, Bresson, Truffaut, Chabrol, Godard, Varda, Ophüls, and others. We will also read widely in French history, film history, and film theory.