Course objectives:

Women in Spanish Cinema:

This course will explore the representation of women in the early history of Spanish cinema.  We will focus on the work of women directors born before the Spanish Civil (1936) and their particular perspective on the socio-cultural context of a time in which few women made their mark as film directors. Who were the women who broke through with their own lens? What were the barriers that they encountered? How did they navigate those barriers and how did the latter shape their stories.  We will also examine how contemporary Spanish directors, in particular women directors, view women’s representations in the aforementioned period, and in particular in the Spanish Civil war.  What do they look for and what do they see through their lens as they look back in time to key moments in Spanish history? Our exploration of the voices of pioneers and contemporary directors, in relation to the role of women in the evolution of Spanish film, will create opportunity for examining some of the recurrent themes that shape women’s perspectives in film. These will include the subversion of traditional gender roles and the exploration of women’s agency, identity and sexuality.

The course will conclude with a curated exhibition (by students) whose aim will be to rescue pioneering women film directors from oblivion and draw attention to some of the current representative women directors.

Learning outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:           

Discuss film in Spanish using appropriate terminology.

Discuss the role of women in the development of early Spanish film.

Identify the recurrent themes in Spanish cinema directed by women

Co-organise an exhibition for a bilingual (English/Spanish) audience on the women directors in the development of Spanish cinema.

Express written opinion coherently by using appropriate linking words and expressions.

Distinguish between, and use appropriately, words that appear to have similar meanings.

More information about the courses can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar [1]