On October 23rd, the Center of Excellence in French and Francophone Studies, in collaboration with the Institute of European Studies at UC Berkeley and the French Department , welcomed Caroline Moine, a professor of contemporary history at the University of Paris-Saclay in France. Moine presented her research on the history of film schools in the 20th Century to an audience of 20 attendees, examining how European film schools acted as catalysts for artistic exchange, political mobilization, and professional networking throughout.
Moine began by explaining the pivotal role of institutions like the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographic (IDHEC) in Paris, which fostered connections that transcended national borders. Founded during the Nazi occupation of France, IDHEC quickly became a left-wing cultural hub, where, according to Moine, students engaged actively in France’s social, political, and cultural history. For instance, she noted that many IDHEC students utilized their media skills to support the Algerian independence movement, using film as a powerful medium to advance political messages.
Moine highlighted that her research focuses on the influence of these film schools from the interwar period through the Cold War, underscoring their ability to create cross-border networks. She specifically discussed the Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision (CILECT), an international center founded at the Cannes Film Festival to foster collaboration between film schools and facilitate international cultural exchange.
Furthermore, Central to Moine’s research are film school and private archives, which contain primary sources such as student films, financial documents, and shooting reports. These materials allow her not only to reconstruct the history of film schools but also to piece together the individual stories of film students. This archival focus is crucial in her project, as it reveals IDHEC’s international reach and its impact on film industries worldwide. Moine highlighted three notable international alumni: Margot Benacerraf from Venezuela, Pham Ky Nam from Vietnam, and Paulin Vieyra, the first African graduate of IDHEC. She explained how these filmmakers, after completing their training in Paris, returned home equipped with new skills, which they used to shape the film industries in their respective countries.
Moine concluded her presentation by sharing her goal of utilizing these archives to document the transnational careers and networks formed in these schools—a dimension often neglected in previous research. Through this project, she seeks to contribute to film history by building a comprehensive database of archival resources, offering an interconnected view of the role film schools played in shaping both cinematic and political landscapes.