Hispanic Documentary Film

Module code: SP2037

This module will introduce you to different aspects of documentary films created in Spain and Latin America with the aim to grasp shared national imaginaries of a culture in Spanish as well as the different trends of this popular film genre. It will begin with a consideration of the common history of the countries of the region through an exploration of the social and political contexts of each of the set films and will go on to explore their form and styles. On completion of this module you will have developed a critical awareness of the films studied and of their social and historical contexts. You will be able to recognise the different modes of documentary genre and its worldwide trends, discuss recurrent themes in contemporary Hispanic culture, and demonstrate your knowledge of the ‘creative treatment of actuality’ through written presentations.

Topics covered

• Modes of representation of documentary film
• Ethics of representation
• Experimental trends of non-fiction films
• Politics of memory in Spain and Latin America
• Contemporary economic and social crisis in Spain and Latin America and their film portrayals
• The representation of war and dictatorships