Exploring the Hispanic World Through Films / Spanish Cinema (Spanish)

Discover the Hispanic world through the captivating lens of cinema by studying societies throughout the Spanish-speaking world.  In this course, you will analyze Spanish-language films to understand narrative elements, characterization, and pressing societal challenges. By integrating literary stories and music with film study, you will strengthen your communication skills and reach a high level of cultural competence.

Unit

Timeframe

Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions)

Major Learning Experiences from Unit 

Unit 1

Q1

  1. What is the main theme?

  2. What is the historical connection?

  3. What is the historical connection with contemporary life today? Is there a connection? How did the past influence life today?

  4. What can we learn from this film?

  5. What impact has an event in the film made on life, people, and/or the country?

  6. What cultural characteristics define the Hispanic community

Thematic Exploration: 

Analyzing films like Voces Inocentes, También la lluvia, and Cautiva to explore themes of freedom, personal rights, and totalitarian governments.


Historical & Contemporary Linking: 

Investigating how past historical events influence contemporary life and identifying the impact of these events on individuals and countries.


Defining Community: 

Identifying the specific cultural characteristics that define the Hispanic community.

Unit 2

Q2

  1. What are the main causes of migration in the Hispanic world?

  2. How does the experience of a new immigrant in the United States differ from their life in their country of origin?

  3. What role does family play during the migration process?

  4. How are the "challenges and hopes" of migrants reflected in the films? 

Migration Analysis: 

Examining the diverse causes of migration in the Hispanic world through films like La Misma Luna, Which Way Home, and Entre Nos.


Comparative Life Studies:

Comparing the experiences and challenges of new immigrants in the United States with their lives in their countries of origin.


Societal & Family Dynamics: 

Exploring the role of family and the specific "challenges and hopes" faced during the migration process.

Unit 3

Q3

  1. What is lost when a language dies, and why is it important to preserve unique visions of the world?

  2. How can a person become a fugitive in their own country due to their political or artistic beliefs?

  3. How did the colonization process graphically affect indigenous peoples?

Linguistic Preservation: 

Analyzing the loss of unique worldviews when a language dies, specifically through the film Sueño en otro idioma.

Political & Artistic Fugitives: 

Studying how individuals, like the poet Pablo Neruda, become fugitives in their own countries due to their beliefs.

Colonization Impact: 

Examining the graphic effects of the colonization process on indigenous peoples, as depicted in The Mission.

Unit 4

Q4

  1. How do unresolved situations from the past affect an individual's "return" to their roots?

  2. How can a chance encounter in a new environment change a person's entire view on life?

  3. What social criticisms are presented when comparing the lives of the wealthy/spoiled to those facing hardship? 

Reconciliation with the Past: 

Exploring how unresolved past situations affect an individual's "return" to their roots through the film Volver.


Transformative Encounters: 

Analyzing how chance encounters in new environments, such as Peru, can shift a person's entire view on life.


Social Criticism: 

Comparing the lives of the wealthy and "spoiled" to those facing significant hardships and examining the resulting social critiques in films like Nosotros los nobles.