SPAN 325: Hispanic Cinema
Course Description:
This course will examine the multiple ways that Hispanic and Brazilian filmmakers have seen Hispanic world, its people, religious beliefs and cultures for more than a century. This course provides the student with a range of perspectives on cultural developments in Spain, Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean from the colonial to the modern period, using critical and literary texts as well as films.
This course will examine the multiple ways that Hispanic and Brazilian filmmakers have seen Hispanic world, its people, religious beliefs and cultures for more than a century. This course provides the student with a range of perspectives on cultural developments in Spain, Brazil, Latin America and the Caribbean from the colonial to the modern period, using critical and literary texts as well as films.
MLO Met:
MLO 3: Literary and Cultural Knowledge
MLO 3: Literary and Cultural Knowledge
Course Narrative:
To fulfill the requirements for Major Learning Outcome (MLO) 3, which requires students to develop an understanding of thinking, behavioral practices, and cultural products of Hispanic societies, during the Spring of 2020, I took the course SPAN 325: Hispanic Cinema.
In SPAN 325, through films produced in Latin American countries, I was able to learn about issues in Spanish-speaking and Latin American countries that often go unnoticed by foreign audiences. Although most of these films were rooted on issues in a country, we also learned a lot about the culture in each respective country. “Cidade de Deus (2002),” a collaborative presentation, took us through the information that we needed to know before watching the film: getting to know the directors, historical content, film genre, plot, aesthetic approach, and any relevant awards. Cidade de Deus (2002), a film based on the favelas in Brazil, showed the lesser-known side of Brazil. Although Brazil is commonly known for its vibrant celebrations and rich culture, the issue of racism and poverty is overlooked. On the other hand, this film focused on highlighting the reality that Afro-Brazilians face while living in the slums with no way out. The plot of this film does not act alone, through the aesthetic approach of this film, such as the lighting and camera angles, the viewers were able to engage and feel empathetic to the story.
This course brought to light a lot of issues in Hispanic countries that I would not have been aware of otherwise. Through an exploration of the historical context of films, I was able to learn about influences in culture- whether it is for a country as a whole, or a region within the country. Through this brief historical exploration, I was able to get a different perspective on issues spoken about in other courses relating to the history of Latin-American countries; for example, the Spanish Civil War in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and the Mexican Revolution in ¡Qué Viva Mexico! (1979). With the practice of further analyzing the meaning of films, in the future, I hope to continue to view film beyond its purpose for entertainment, but rather as a reflection of culture and/or the perspectives of that culture.
To fulfill the requirements for Major Learning Outcome (MLO) 3, which requires students to develop an understanding of thinking, behavioral practices, and cultural products of Hispanic societies, during the Spring of 2020, I took the course SPAN 325: Hispanic Cinema.
In SPAN 325, through films produced in Latin American countries, I was able to learn about issues in Spanish-speaking and Latin American countries that often go unnoticed by foreign audiences. Although most of these films were rooted on issues in a country, we also learned a lot about the culture in each respective country. “Cidade de Deus (2002),” a collaborative presentation, took us through the information that we needed to know before watching the film: getting to know the directors, historical content, film genre, plot, aesthetic approach, and any relevant awards. Cidade de Deus (2002), a film based on the favelas in Brazil, showed the lesser-known side of Brazil. Although Brazil is commonly known for its vibrant celebrations and rich culture, the issue of racism and poverty is overlooked. On the other hand, this film focused on highlighting the reality that Afro-Brazilians face while living in the slums with no way out. The plot of this film does not act alone, through the aesthetic approach of this film, such as the lighting and camera angles, the viewers were able to engage and feel empathetic to the story.
This course brought to light a lot of issues in Hispanic countries that I would not have been aware of otherwise. Through an exploration of the historical context of films, I was able to learn about influences in culture- whether it is for a country as a whole, or a region within the country. Through this brief historical exploration, I was able to get a different perspective on issues spoken about in other courses relating to the history of Latin-American countries; for example, the Spanish Civil War in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and the Mexican Revolution in ¡Qué Viva Mexico! (1979). With the practice of further analyzing the meaning of films, in the future, I hope to continue to view film beyond its purpose for entertainment, but rather as a reflection of culture and/or the perspectives of that culture.
Relevant Course Work: