Social History and Film in the Americas
Resources on Films about Latin America and the Latinx U.S.
This website showcases the work that Dr. McCleary’s students have done in her class, Film and Social History in the Americas. Students provide annotated bibliographies, analysis and introductions to films which depict Latin American and Latinx history.
About the Class
This class is taught every two years. Each year, we highlight a different theme in our attempt to build a resource for other people interested in learning more about Latin American film or film that represents the Latinx/Hispanic population of the United States. We are historians and so are particularly interested in how history represents the past. We draw from gender and postcolonial film theory as well as genre theory to contextualize the films. We provide bibliographic resources that might be of interest to the site’s audience as well. We hope to see you at the movies!
Bechdel Test
One of the basic tools of analysis we apply to films is the level of gender representation the film achieves.
We draw from Alison Bechdel’s litmus test as a way to measure this.
One form of measurement that the Bechdel Test overlooks is the predilection of rape in films about Latin America. This was brought to my attention by one of my astute students years ago as we saw the theme recur in Men with Guns, El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Romero, and other films.
Urban History and third cinema
There is no group of people in the world more urban-minded than Latin Americans. Historically, cities here played an all-encompassing role that included administration, the reproduction of capital and responsibility for virtually all cultural activities. We examine films that focus on the urban experience in Latin America, like City of God, Pixote, and Central Station.
We bring in Third Cinema as a way of understanding how Latin American film embraces film as an agent of social change in a way that mainstream US film does not.
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Guidelines for Viewing Bio Pics
Biopics:
Introducing Latin American Themes Through Its Icons
When we watch a biopic (biographical picture) we should keep in mind the socio-historical context and ask about the degree to which the film exists within a nation’s political and social class polarization. One question to ask is who likes and who dislikes the subject of a biopic and how does social class frame this?
What is the connection between the time the film was made and the time it depicts?
Which country produced (made) the film? How might that information shape the point of view of the film? What language, for example, is dominant in the film? Do a variety of languages appear?
How does the film director and producer (s) interpret the historical figure using film techniques such as lighting, camera cuts, music?
Who depicts the iconic figure? Do we need to match national origins of the actor to the figure they are portraying? Does it matter that in the Social Network, Eduardo Saverín (played by Andrew Garfield) largely loses his Brazlianness? or that a Spanish actor, Javier Bardem, depicts the Cuban, Desi Arnaz, as Ricky Ricardo in Being the Ricardos?
Recent Posts
Race and Gender representation in Latin American Film
https://youtu.be/6ez-THTkkN0 Taylor Becker Research Questions The questions I am seeking to answer in this Research Kit is: How does representation ...
Question of Violence in Urban Film
Research Questions How do the films City of God and Do the Right Thing portray urban violence? In particular how are the police depicted in urban film? Audience The audience for this topic are those interested in an analysis in the portrayal of...