This class will explore different film genres in the context of Iberian Cinema (we’ll watch films in Spanish but also produced in Galicia, Catalonia, and the Basque Country in their native languages). We will read critical texts to learn the main characteristics of different genres and see how these films are produced in order to fit in a specific genre. The class will work with Documentaries, Animation, Historical, Drama, Action, and Horror Films. We will watch and analyze canonical and well-known Spanish films representing these genres and, at the same time, learn about cultural, historical, political, and social issues in contemporary Spain. We will cover films from the mid-twentieth century to the present. The films will be available for independent viewing and will have subtitles in English. The critical reading will be both in Spanish and English.

This course counts as elective credit for the Spanish minor.

Class Format:

For Fall 2021: During certain periods of the term, the class will engage in discussions about the course content in an in-person format; during other periods of the term, we will engage in activities where students collaborate in small-group activities via breakout sessions in Zoom”. You can expect the first part of the semester (first two weeks approx.) to have online classes. After that, we will combine weekly classes in person (presentations and discussion on Tuesdays) and Zoom breakout rooms discussions and presentations (Thursdays) Also, the next week after Thanksgiving, we’ll probably meet both days online. I’ll give the specific plan for in-person and online classes by the beginning of the term.