Spanish 236 - Spanish Cinema

(Offered as SPAN 236, EUST 232, and FAMS 328.) Once severely constrained by censorship laws and rarely exported beyond the country’s borders during its dictatorship, Spanish film has been transformed into an internationally known cinema in the last decades.  This course offers a critical overview of Spanish film from 1950 to the present, examining how Spain’s culture and society are imagined onscreen by Spanish directors. Students will analyze works of Spanish cinema alongside theoretical and critical texts, exploring such topics as gendered roles in contemporary society, immigration, globalization, censorship, sexuality, and experiences of war and violence. We will also track the sociological, cultural, and political forces inside Spain that have inspired such cinematic representations. This course provides an introduction to visual analysis and critical writing about film. No previous experience in film and media studies is required.  Attendance is required at six Tuesday 7pm-10pm screenings at Keefe Theater throughout the semester.  Films will be subtitled in English.  Conducted in English.

Spring semester.  Professor Brenneis.