What do dystopian films really tell us—about the future, and about ourselves? In this seminar, you’ll explore the dark mirror of dystopian sci-fi cinema, where imagined worlds reflect the fears, hopes, and contradictions of the societies that create them. We’ll trace the evolution of dystopia from early industrial-age anxieties to contemporary visions shaped by technology, climate change, and global inequality. From Metropolis to Blade Runner, Black Mirror, and Severance, you’ll examine how filmmakers across different eras and cultures use the genre to question power, progress, and what it means to be human. Through screenings, readings, and discussions, you’ll identify common tropes and techniques in dystopian storytelling—such as visual contrast, spatial design, and montage—to evoke feelings of alienation or control. You’ll also explore how the genre continually reinvents itself in response to changing social and political realities. Special attention will be given to questions of race, class, gender, sexuality, and technology, as well as environmental and ethical debates surrounding industrialization, surveillance, and the climate crisis. By studying cinematography, editing, and production design, you’ll see how filmmakers translate these ideas into mood, meaning, and metaphor. By the end of the course, you’ll possess a critical framework to understand dystopia not just as a genre, but as a lens through which cinema interprets—and sometimes anticipates—the human condition.

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