An exploration of films made in the last fifty years featuring “descents into savagery” and the colonial, alphabetic texts that inspired them. Topics to be discussed, among others: primitivism and progress; coloniality; media and mediation; race and gender; intercultural dialogues; healing practices; community-based performances.
Sample reading list:
Ciro Guerra, Abrazo de la serpiente
Carlos Saura, El Dorado
Armando Robles Godoy, La muralla verde
Nicolás Echevarría, Cabeza de Vaca
Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Como era Gostoso o Meu Francês
Reading/Writing assignments:
Watching one film every other week; reading 30-40 pages (primary and secondary texts) per week; attending the department’s Spanish and Portuguese film festival in the spring; six 600-word commentaries on film assigned for that day, one of which will be on a film shown at the department’s festival; one class presentation on one of the films or written texts; two 2,000 word papers on film(s) and/ or texts to be assigned by the instructor. No term paper or final exam.
Prerequisites and Restrictions:
One 200-level course above SPA 209 or instructor’s permission.
Other information:
Class conducted in Spanish. Films shown with English subtitles.