Students hone speaking, reading, and writing skills by analyzing and debating Spanish films that explore gender, immigration, globalization, and Spain’s diverse cultures, in addition to creative questions related to humor, satire, and artistic creativity. Given in Spanish.
Athena Title
Spanish Film
Non-Traditional Format
Course offered approximately every other year.
Prerequisite
SPAN 3030 or SPAN 3030E or SPAN 3030H or SPAN(LING) 3050 or SPAN(LING) 3050E
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will analyze films from a range of genres and time periods in depth with a critical approach to cinematography, narrative, editing, performance, sound, and other components of production.
Students will critique films on a theoretical and artistic level both orally and in writing in Spanish, while engaging with key movements in film studies.
Students will develop well-reasoned arguments about the aesthetic and narrative choices made by filmmakers, supported by evidence from the films themselves.
Students will create original analyses that demonstrate thoughtful engagement with cinematic elements and storytelling structures.
Students will evaluate Spanish film in cultural and socio-historic context by connecting factors such as production, censorship, and critical and audience reception.
Students will analyze the ways in which film reflects and shapes the human experience, and how personal, regional, national, and other identities interact across global cinematic traditions.
Students will analyze the representation of diverse cultures, identities, and social groups in films and assess their impact on societal perceptions.
Students will examine the ethical implications of storytelling choices in films, including depictions of violence, stereotypes, and marginalized communities.
Students will critically assess the role of the film industry in shaping social values and cultural norms.
Students will reflect on the power of film as a tool for social change and civic engagement.
Students will collaborate in discussions about films with peers from diverse backgrounds, fostering respect for differing viewpoints.
Topical Outline
Key movements, touchstones, and shifts in Spanish film: Postwar musicals/comedies, New Spanish Cinema, the Movida Madrileña and Almodóvar, social realism, horror and historical memory, and new directions in the twenty-first century.
