The teaching scenario proposed as part of our Erasmus+ KA210 Project aims at fostering cultural inclusion by detecting stereotypes a nation might have towards another one, namely Greeks regarding Italians and vice versa, and fighting bias through critical thinking. The main vehicle towards this aim is a Greek comedy that depicts Italian women in a rather stereotypical way and an Italian film portraying Greeks in a similar mode. The scenario was created jointly by teachers from both schools participating in the project.
Below, there is a short description of the lesson carried out in the Greek school during the 2nd Transnational Meeting of the Italian group to the Greek school.
- Before class, in a flipped classroom mode, Greek pupils were asked to read a summary of the film, have a look at the original posters of the film and study material concerning the notion of ‘stereotype’.
- When in class, pupils were navigated through the film plot with the help of their teachers. They were presented with specific clips from the film and they filled in a worksheet based on these clips. They formed groups of five and with the support of both Greek and Italian teachers they worked separately to exchange views, carry out specific tasks and take notes on a Padlet board. They came back in class to present the results of their work and reflect upon them from a contemporary perspective. Moreover, taking input from the visiting teachers, pupils detected connecting elements among contemporary Greek and Italian women.
- By the end of this series of lessons/workshops, our pupils were able to understand that art, film industry in our case, can support cultural stereotypes and viewers should be able to trace them and maintain a critical attitude to the way people and situations are portrayed.
Here is some information on the Greek film employed in the 1st lesson of the teaching scenario:
An Italian Girl from Kypseli, 1968
[production: Finos Film productions, Director, screenplay: Dinos Dimopoulos, the film is an adaptation of the titular play by Polyvios Vassiliadis and Nikos Tsiforos.]
Plot Summary
Antonis (Alekos Alexandrakis) returns from his studies (electrician-engineer) in Italy with his Greek wife Bianca, an art student (Maro Kontou), whom he introduces as an Italian to his family. The main reason for this lie is his sister Toula (Katerina Youlaki), the main heiress of the family fortune who does not like Greek women and is characterized by xenomania and an oppressive attitude towards her husband Polycrates (Yannis Vogiatzis). The couple hatches a plan to change Toula’s mind in collaboration with Polycrates, using extravagances (lots of baths, daring dances, lots of expenses, etc.) with the excuse that this is how people live not only in Italy, but all over Europe, and finally succeeds as in the end the newly married couple is accepted by Toula.
Clips from the film presented in class
- https://youtu.be/M1WusTRfzBU
- https://youtu.be/bcOnnznCB-Y
- https://youtu.be/VU-ufi07yAg
- https://youtu.be/-IQJ_b6CuJ0