| Unit name | Introduction to Latin American Cinema |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HISP20114 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Teichert |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
In this unit, you will be introduced to the parallel but related histories and developments in Latin American cinema and visual culture, ranging from the politically engaged filmmaking and installation art of the 1960s to experimental documentaries and contemporary art of the 21st century. The unit covers films and visual culture from across the region, from Mexico and Colombia to Brazil and Argentina. You will explore the ways in which these films and art works both reflect and shape Latin American politics and society. How has cultural production responded to experiences of dictatorship? How has it dealt with economic crisis? When has it shaped ideology, and when has it succumbed to it? You will learn the skills of film criticism and visual analysis, in addition to knowledge of relevant historical, social and theoretical contexts.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit builds on the foundational knowledge gained in Year 1. It will also help you develop essential skills in film and visual analyses, which will help inform your learning in the more specialised units in Year 4. It will also help you gain an understanding of important political and cultural issues that continue to unfold across the region.
An overview of content
This unit provides an introduction to some of the main developments in both film and visual culture across Latin America. It covers a range of materials ranging from, for example, the iconic installation Tucumán Arde in Argentina and the third cinema of Glauber Rocha in Brazil, to the contemporary artworks by Doris Salcedo and experimental cinema forms from Colombia. Throughout, the unit will explore how film and visual culture both informs and is informed by its cultural and political context.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will develop essential film and visual analysis skills, and will be able to draw parallels between different national and cultural contexts. You will develop strong collaborative working skills through formative and summative assessments, and will explore how to adapt your oral and written expression to suit different formats and outlets.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through weekly lectures and seminars. During the seminars, students will engage in group discussion of secondary readings and close analyses of film sequences and art works. These different learning activities are designed to help guide your reflections on the material and your engagement with critical theories of culture and society.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Weekly group presentation exercises. These formative presentations will help you develop skills in collaborative working and oral presentation in advance of the first summative assessment task.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Group Film/Art Review Podcast, 15 minutes (30%) [ILOs 1-5]
Comparative Coursework Essay, 2500 words(70%) [ILOs 1-4]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HISP20114).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
