Cinema Studies Undergraduate Seminar: What Is Fake?

A collection of vocabulary flashcards derived from the study of cinema and its exploration of authenticity, identity, and performance.

Authenticity

The quality of being genuine or true to oneself, often examined in art and performance.

Performativity

The concept that identity is constructed through repeated actions and behaviors, rather than being an inherent trait.

Documentary

A film genre that aims to document reality, using real events and people to convey truth.

Simulacrum

A copy that is so removed from the original that it has no connection to it, as articulated by Baudrillard.

Auteur Theory

A theory proposing that a film's director is often the primary creative force behind it, raising questions of authorship.

Indexical Bond

The direct connection between a photograph or film and the reality it depicts, suggesting a form of documentary truth.

Ethical Fakery

The examination of whether deception can ever serve a greater truth or be morally justifiable in art.

Essay Film

A genre that blends documentary, memoir, and artistic expression, often challenging the boundaries of truth.

Controlled Deception

The idea that art and cinema intentionally manipulate reality to convey deeper truths.

Social Mobility

The ability or capacity to move up the social ladder, which can be a theme in film narratives.