Surrealist cinema sought to break with the conventional linear narrative style in favor of chance events and a world of the subconscious. This penetrating program featuring Alan Williams, author of Republic of Images: A History of French Filmmaking, analyzes the origin, evolution, and legacy of a cinematic movement whose stylistic artifacts can still be found in today’s mass culture. Background on Dadaism—and the seismic historical events that gave birth to it—sets the stage for a nuanced discussion of Surrealism and its use of cinema to best express the movement’s vision during its heyday and since. Key figures of Dadaism and Surrealism are highlighted, as are important films such as La Coquille et le Clergyman, L’Étoile de Mer, and Buñuel’s iconic Un Chien Andalou and L’Âge d’Or. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences Production. (39 minutes)