Event—Adult Education

Paranoid Cinema

Conspiracy theories, secret histories, fake news—paranoia seems to have permeated mainstream culture as the prevailing affect of our strange, uncertain times. Cinema has provided us with many textbook illustrations of paranoia, from portrayals of delusional psychosis to mysteries in which everyone is a suspect.

For the Fall 2021 term, we're offering a mix of virtual and in-person classes. Although we are still primarily virtual, you will find a smaller selection of in-person seminars in the schedule. For more information about the Newberry’s virtual seminars, including a Zoom tutorial, please see our Virtual Seminars FAQ page. Registration opens on September 1st at 9am (Central time). Registration will take place through our online platform, Learning Stream.

Please note: classes that are currently scheduled to take place in the building may switch to virtual in accordance with public health and safety guidelines. Additionally, masks are required for all attendees, regardless of vaccination status. We will email participants with any changes the week before seminars begin.

Seminar Description

Conspiracy theories, secret histories, fake news—paranoia seems to have permeated mainstream culture as the prevailing affect of our strange, uncertain times. Cinema has provided us with many textbook illustrations of paranoia, from portrayals of delusional psychosis to mysteries in which everyone is a suspect. This seminar will unpack the relationship between film and paranoia, surveying titles such as The Game, Bunny Lake Is Missing,The Conversation, and The Parallax View.

Four sessions. Registration – $120

Harrison Sherrod manages a film production company by day and teaches seminars at the Newberry by night. He has led courses on everything from metaphysical detectives and con games to Star Wars and Marxism.

Materials List

Required:

  • Instructor-Distributed Materials.

First Reading:

  • For the first session, please watch The Conversation.