Contemporary Mexican Cinema

Module code: SP2035

In this module you will study four recent films, three entirely Mexican and one Spanish-Mexican co-production. In each case you will consider thematic aspects, focusing on their social and cultural meanings and contexts, as well as questions of style, including cinematic narrative and genre. On completion of this module, you will have acquired a critical understanding of the films studied and be able to demonstrate your knowledge in oral and written form of their social and/or cultural themes and contexts and explain how these are mediated via the use of cinematic language.

Topics covered

• Representations of life in modern Mexico City
• The city versus the countryside in Mexico
• Gender and class in Mexico
• Past political conflict and its persistence into the present
• Immigration to the U.S. and the condition of the migrant
• Cinematic genre, including some or all of the following:
• Melodrama
• The road movie
• Horror cinema
• Questions of film style: Hollywood versus the avant-garde