Last modified: 27 Feb 2018 20:33
This course will study contemporary film with reference to both Spanish references and global currents. Spanish artistic production, like all culture, is increasingly tuned into international circuits, where filmmakers find material and inspiration for their creations from a wide range of settings. Therefore, we will think of Spain as a crossroads, a meeting ground of different historical influences, connected to a global network of migrations and communications. In our readings of these films, we will ask how personal and collective subjectivity is defined in relation to both local and global contexts.
Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 3 |
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Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
Campus | Old Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
Co-ordinators |
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In this course we will study contemporary film with reference to Spain. However, they are not all entirely Spanish. Some take place in Spain but were filmed by foreign directors. Others take place outside of Spain. Almost all of the films have strong international elements or borrow from foreign genres. Spanish artistic production, like all culture, is increasingly tuned into international circuits, where filmmakers find material and inspiration for their creations from a wide range of settings. Therefore, we will not consider Spain as a set of fixed and essential characteristics that determine the cultural manifestations occurring within its borders. We should think of Spain more as a crossroads, a meeting ground of different historical influences, connected to a global network of migrations and communications. While in a course on Franco-era Spain everything seems to be tied to a central set of concerns and struggles, contemporary cultural production is much more varied in themes and aesthetics. It is impossible to find a single current that runs through its different forms. We will, however, think through a question that seems to run through many of these films: how do we define a self? In a context characterised by fluctuation, how are individuals and groups conceived in relation to their various determinants? (geography, personal and social relations, community, history, ethical and political concerns) In an age of global communications and virtual technologies, what role do fantasy and the imagination play in this process?
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
1st Attempt:
Mid-term Essay (2000-2500 words) (30%)
Final Essay (40%)
Group Project (20%)
Seminar Assessment Mark (10%)
There are no assessments for this course.
Formal feedback will be provided on both projects and essays in the form of written comments provided through Turn-it-In on MyAberdeen. Students will also be encouraged to discuss their performance on a one-to-one basis with the course co-ordinator. Informal feedback on contributions to seminars will be offered on an on-going basis and students will also receive feedback in the form of a seminar assessment mark and written comments.
Knowledge and understanding of theories and key issues relating to the study of film and visual culture, film's relationship to other forms of visual media, and significant works and movements in film and visual culture.
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