Latin American Cinemas

Catalog description

In this course we examine Latin American and Latinx films to see how artists use cinema to capture their realities, create worlds, challenge stereotypes and social norms, and further complicate stories beyond commercial cinemas. Through consistent practice with the written word and manipulating film images making video essays, we examine the crucial importance of self-representation, and diversity of perspectives in front of and behind the camera. In addition, we study the structures of distribution and exhibition that shape the unequal visibility of some cinemas over others. As an interdisciplinary course that bridges the fields of Spanish, Film Studies, and Film Production, you will work with theoretical approaches, closely study the mechanics of film, and later adapt and apply film analysis to create video essays. Through analysis and application, we explore Latin American cinemas as highly political and culturally-entrenched vehicles circulating unequally throughout the world.