SPA 248/FLM 495 MEXICAN CULTURE THROUGH FILM

Course location: Cuernavaca, with excursions to

Fall semester only

Prerequisites: for SPA 248: SPA 111 or instructor’s permission; for FLM 495: none.

Course Description Welcome to SPA 248/FLM 495! This course is designed for both language learners and film Students with an interest in Mexican Cinema and Cultures. Both intermediate Spanish language learners and beginning Spanish language learners will develop their film and language literacy through the lens of Mexican filmmaking. The course may be taken in Spanish or in English, and course materials will be taught and offered in both Spanish and English to include a range of language comprehension. The course counts as an elective toward the Spanish major and minor, as well as a Film Studies and Communication Studies elective.

The course will present a wide range of Mexican films from the Mexican Golden Age of Cinema “Cine de Oro” to the contemporary documentary auteur revolution. Films will feature diverse cast of characters including: Malinche, El Santo of , Frida Kahlo, Yalitzia Aparacio, , , Emilio “El Indo” Hernandez and Gael Garcia Bernal among many others.

Course Objectives The course consists primarily of watching and discussing films in Spanish. The main objectives are:  to provide an overview of the contemporary and the vocabulary to discuss it critically.  to explore the cultural and historical dimensions of Mexican film and understand the major differences between the latter and the mainstream American .  to appreciate the complexity of Mexican cultures through the analysis of Mexican films.  For those taking the course in Spanish: to improve facility in Spanish conversation and writing.

Teaching/Course Methodology  All films will be screened in Spanish with Spanish subtitles and available for screening in English for language learning review. Non-bilingual students are encouraged to watch films twice in Spanish and English.  The course will be taught in both English and Spanish.  Course readings will be in English.  Discussion groups will be assigned based on Spanish fluency for those who are taking the course for Spanish credit.  Students will be encouraged to stretch linguistically and conceptually.

Required Course Materials You are responsible for checking the class Moodle page and your Augsburg email regularly for class updates. Announcements, assignment guidelines, grades, and other helpful material will be available on the course page. Additional readings will be provided in pdf form or a course packet at the beginning of the semester.

Required Text McVey Gill, Mary, et al. Cinema for Spanish Conversation. 4th ed.

A course packet will be provided including readings from the following texts:  Cinema of Solitude, A Critical Study of Mexican Film, 1967 - 1983. Charles Ramirez Berg.  Cinemachismo: Masculinities and Sexuality in Mexican Film. By Sergio de la Mora. Published by University of Texas Press. 2006.  Women Filmmakers in Mexico: The Country of Which We Dream. By Elissa J Rashkin. Published by University of Texas Press. 2001

Content advisory: Many of the films we will be watching deal with serious topics and contain explicit scenes of violence and sexuality. The instructor will provide "trigger warnings" for films that include graphic representations of sexual, emotional or physical violence. Students are encouraged to google films in advance to prepare themselves for viewing. If students wish to opt out of a particular film because of the aforementioned topics, please notify the instructor for an alternative film assignment. If students wish to opt out of a particular film for aforementioned topics, please notify instructor for alternative viewings and assignment.

Grades and Evaluation 1. Attendance, Preparation, and Participation (APP): 20% a. After two absences, students’ participation grade will be affected. b. Students are expected to complete the viewings and readings to the best of their ability and be prepared to engage with and discuss the course material in class. 2. Film Notes: 20% Short, focused reports (150 words in Spanish / 300 words in English) on particular issues raised in the movies, the Film Notes will be submitted after each viewing and evaluated for content as well as quality of writing. Follow the online prompts. 3. Quizzes: 4 x 10% each = 40% The quizzes will test your comprehension of the films including vocabulary and cultural significance. 4. Critical Film Review: 20% A critical review, in Spanish (350 words) or English (700 words) depending on language fluency, on one of the films we watched during the term.

Course Schedule This schedule is subject to change throughout the semester. It is your responsibility to make sure you are referencing the most recent version of the schedule. Check Moodle for the most updated information.

Week Reading/ Viewing Homework

Section 1: The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema (El Cine de Oro) 1940’s - 1960’s

1  Course overview and Film Notes: expectations  Models of critical vocabulary and All the people came and did not fit onto the screen: critical commentary notes on the cinema audience in Mexico. Carlos  Pre-viewing activities Monsiváis  Screening and Discussion: Los Olvidados (1952)

2  Pre-viewing activities Film Notes: Vámonos con Pancho Villa  Screening and discussion: Vámonos con Pancho Villa Fernández and Cinematic Propaganda in the U.S. and (1936) Mexico, Mitchell, Renae

3  Pre-viewing activities Film Notes: Nosotros Los Pobres or Salon Mexico  Screening and discussion:  Nosotros Los Pobres (1948) The Indian Question, Cinema of Solitude, Charles  Salon Mexico (1949) Ramirez Berg

4  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Tizoc  Screening and discussion: Tizoc (1957) Collapse, Rebirth, Commercialization: Mexico and  Quiz #1 Mexican Filmmaking, Cinema of Solitude

Section 2: Mexico’s “Nuevo Cine” 1970’s - 1980’s

5  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Maria del Mi Corazon or El Topo  Screening and discussion:  Maria del Mi Corazon (1979) The Last Dance, Cinemachismo. 2006.  El Topo (1970)

6  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: El Lugar Sin Limites  Screening and discussion: Student and Feminist Film: Women Filmmakers in  El Lugar Sin Limites (1977) Mexico: The Country of Which We Dream. 2001. Women’s Images Part II: Cinema of Solitude

7  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Frida  Screening and discussion:  Frida: Naturaleza Viva (1983) Cantinflas, Mexican Postcards, Carlos Monsivais. 2007.

Week Reading/ Viewing Homework

8  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: El Barrendero or Ni de aqui, ni de alla  Screening and discussion:  El Barrendero (1982) Mexico’s Third Wave New Cinema, Cinemachismo  Ni de aqui, ni de alla (1987)  Quiz #2

Section 3: Mexican Third Wave Cinema 1990s - 2000s

9  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Cronos and Como agua para chocolate  Screening and discussion:  Como agua para chocolate (1991) Heroic Journeys: The Immigrant Experience as the  Cronos (1991) Hero's Journey in El Norte and La Misma Luna, Susan Weibe Drake

10  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: La misma luna or Sin Nombre  Screening and discussion:  La misma luna (2007) Mexican Cinema is Dead! Long Live Mexican  Sin Nombre (2009) Cinema, Cinemachismo

11  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Amore perros or Y tu mama tambien  Screening and discussion:  (2000) The Politics-Commodity: The Rise of Mexican  Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) Commercial Documentary in the Neoliberal Era  Quiz #3

Section 4: Contemporary Mexican Cinema - 2010s - 2020

12  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Presunto culpable or Tempestad  Screening and discussion:  Presunto culpable (2011) Güeros: Social Fragmentation, Political Agency,  Tempestad (2016) and the Mexican Film Industry under Neoliberalism

13  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Presunto culpable or Tempestad  Screening and discussion:  Güeros (2014) The Question of Class in Contemporary Latin  Post Tenebras Lux (2012) American Cinema, María Mercedes Vázquez Vázquez

Week Reading/ Viewing Homework

14  Pre-viewing activities. Film Notes: Roma  Screening and discussion:  Roma (2018) How Mexican Cinema Entered Its Second 'Golden  La Dictadura Perfecta (2014) Age' (2019) Carlos Aguilar

Not screening in Mexico: Its own new golden age of film, LA Times, Linthicum, Kate

15  Pre-viewing activities.  Screening and discussion:  Ya No Estoy Aqui (2019)  Las Ninas Bien (2019)

16 Quiz #4 Submit your Critical Film Review

Additional Comments

Explanation of Grades Augsburg College uses a numerical grading system using the following definitions:

Grade G.P. Description Highest standard of excellence; Goes above and beyond stated A 4.00 95-100% expectations; Deep integration of discussions, lections, readings and/or service learning in assignments; A- 3.67 93-94% B+ 3.33 90-92% Above basic course requirements. Some integration of class B 3.00 86-89% discussion, lecture, theory and/or service learning in assignments. B- 2.67 84-85% C+ 2.33 81-83% Basic standards and expectations for course met; minimum integration of class discussion, lecture, theory and/or service C 2.00 77-80% learning in assignments. Course grades falling below 2.0 will not be accepted toward licensure into Augsburg licensure programs C- 1.67 75-76% The letter grade equivalent for a ‘P’ grade is a C- / 1.67 D+ 1.33 73-74% D 1.00 71-72% Below basic standards and expectations. D- 0.67 70% F 0.00 69% and below

CGEE Grading Policy and Late Assignments You must submit assignments on time. If you need an extension, you must talk to us in advance to negotiate a new deadline. If you have not been given an extension in advance and you turn in a late assignment, you will be docked half a grade. If you are more than one week late, you will be docked a full grade. No assignments will be accepted more than two weeks after the original deadline; a “0” will be given after that. Assignments due near the end of the semester will not be accepted after the last day of the semester.

Re-writing Assignments If you receive a grade of C- or lower, you may revise a paper as long as you resubmit it within one week of the date it was returned to you. Your final grade will be an average of the two grades.

Augsburg Honesty Policy You are expected to follow the Augsburg Honesty Policy which is printed in the program manual. We assume that you have read the honesty policy, understand it, and are following it. Except when the assignment expressly encourages group work, it is assumed that all course work will be your own. You may not copy other students’ work. The first occurrence of plagiarism will result in the failure of the assignment. A student who commits plagiarism a second time will fail the course.

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Students with formally diagnosed learning or physical differences have legal rights to course modifications. Those who qualify should identify themselves to the instructor as soon as possible in order to obtain extra assistance.

Non-Discrimination Statement Augsburg recognizes that our individual differences can deepen our understanding of one another and the world around us, rather than divide us. In this class, people of all races, ethnicities, gender expressions and gender identities, religions, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, and nationalities are strongly encouraged to share their rich array of perspectives and experiences. If you feel your differences may in some way isolate you from Augsburg’s community or if you have a need of any specific accommodations, please speak with the instructor early in the semester about your concerns and what we can do together to help you become an active and engaged member of our class and community.