'Grappling with the present by writing about the past'.

The following paper addresses some of the primarily methodological and terminological questions that need to be considered before commencing an analysis of film from the viewpoint of film history. The issues that are discussed here include the definition of the genre and the (im)possibility of accuracy and authenticity in its depiction or rather interpretation of history. Finally, a more specific topic - national identity, the role of history in its construction and the suitability of film as the material for its analysis - is touched upon and considered in the light of the above-mentioned aspects of the genre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]