Spanish Through Documentaries

The use of cameras in our cellphones and the constant register of everyday life through the internet has turned "documentary" into an elusive category. The course situates documentary practices in Spanish-language films. Rather than working towards the ultimate definition of documentary, this course engages in a rich discussion of different aspects of the documentary impulse and its modes. Students will develop visual literacy skills in Spanish, while we move from Third Cinema classic examples from the 60s and 70s to contemporary re-elaborations of the documentary. We explore different aesthetic approaches to nonfiction films and question the charged relationships they create between document, testimonio, documentary, fiction, objectivity, and truth. The course is open to students with an intermediate and advanced Spanish proficiency level. Language learners must enroll in the cognate course SPANLANG 121.