CMS 320 A: Cinema and Nation

CMS 320A / JSIS 480A                     ARGENTINE CINEMA

AUTUMN 2022

TTh 12:30-2:20 pm

5 credits

Classroom: MGH 228

Zoom Classroom:

 https://washington.zoom.us/j/92794579829

Canvas Site:

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636

My Personal Meeting Room (for office hours, by appointment):  

https://washington.zoom.us/j/2712049673

Prof. Cynthia Steele

cynthias@uw.edu

206-503-7364

Description:

This course will provide a broad overview of the development of Argentine cinema, beginning with two foundational films, one from the New Latin American Cinema of the 1960s and the other from 1985, regarding the Argentine dictatorship of 1976-83. The remainder of the course will be devoted to the rich outpouring of distinctive voices from 2000 to the present. Like Argentine literature, much of its cinema has been rooted in crime fiction. Other central issues include rebuilding a democratic nation, and adapting to shifting concepts of the family and to changing gender roles and definitions.

Students will watch two films a week, outside of class on instant streaming, and read two critical essays a week. You will also participate in a group presentation and will keep a daily viewing and reading journal, which you will turn in twice during the quarter. Also, you will participate in a group presentation and will write a final 4-6-page comparative essay. Students are expected to attend all class meetings and to participate actively in the discussions of the films.

Canvas Site:

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636

 My Personal Meeting Room (for office hours, by appointment):

 https://washington.zoom.us/j/2712049673

Films:

(to view on instant streaming before class):

 F1. Octavio Getino and Fernando Solanas, La hora de los hornos / The Night of the Furnaces  (1968), Canvas

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636/assignments/7474306

 F2: Luis Puenzo, La historia oficial / The Official Story (1985), Kanopy

https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/5724028

 F3: Fabián Bielinsky, Nueve reinas / Nine Queens (2000), Alexander Street

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C3360581

F4. Lucrecia Martel, La Ciénaga (2001), HBO Max, Amazon $4

https://play.hbomax.com/page/urn:hbo:page:GXnvViQhNEhtjhQEAAAP6:type:feature

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B00RL9PEXQ/ref=atv_sr_def_c_unkc_2_1_2?sr=1-2&pageTypeIdSource=ASIN&pageTypeId=B00RL9T89C&qid=1656385598

F5. Lucrecia Martel, La mujer sin cabeza / The Headless Woman (2008), Criterion, Amazon $6

https://www.amazon.com/Headless-Woman-English-Subtitled/dp/B004I6I2HA

F6. Lucía Puenzo, XXY (2007), Alexander Street

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C1825149

 F7. Diego Lerman, La mirada invisible / The Invisible Eye (2010), Kanopy

https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/160364

 F8. Benjamín Avila, Infancia clandestina / Clandestine Childhood (2012), Kanopy

https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/160140

 F9. Lucía Puenzo, Wakolda / The German Doctor (2013), Amazon Prime, Alexander Street

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C2845079

 F10: Pablo Trapero, Leonera / Lion’s Den (2008), Canvas

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636/assignments/7474304

F11: Pablo Trapero, Elefante blanco / White Elephant (2012), Canvas

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636/assignments/7474305

 F12: Damián Szifrón, Relatos salvajes / Wild Tales (2014), Alexander Street

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C3373261

 F13. Sebastián Schindel, The Boss, Anatomy of a Crime / El patron, radiografía de un crimen (2014), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/title/80187020

 F14. Diego Lerman, A Sort of Familia / Una especie de familia (2017), 1 h 35 m., Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=a%20sort%20of%20family&jbv=80202808

 F15: Miguel Cohan, La misma sangre / Blood Will Tell (2019), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=la%20misma%20sangre&jbv=81018067

 F16. Sebastián Schindel, El hijo / The Son (2019), 1 h 32 m, Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=el%20hijo&jbv=80994020

F17. Sebastián Schindel, Crímenes de familia / The Crimes that Bind (2020), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=crimes%20that%20bind&jbv=81227758

F18. Carlos Sorín, Notes for My Son / El cuaderno de Tomy (2020), 1 h 23 m., Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=notes%20for%20my%20son&jbv=81147160

F19. Claudia Llosa, Fever Dream (2021), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=fever%20drea%3D&jbv=80233703

Articles (Posted on Canvas):

A1. Adamson, Morgan. “Hour of the Furnaces: Imperial Finance and the Colonization of Daily Life.” Viewpoint Magazine 1 Feb 2018.

https://viewpointmag.com/2018/02/01/hour-furnaces-imperial-finance-colonization-daily-life/

A2. Tomlinson, Emily. “Mapping the Land of ‘I-Don’t Remember’: For a Re-evaluation of La historia official.” Bulletin of Hispanic Studies Vol. 81, No. 2 (May 2004): pp. 215-224.

A3. Copertari, Gabriela. “Nine Queens: A Dark Day of Simulation and Justice.” Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 279-293.

A4. Schroeder Rodríguez, Paul A. “Little Red Riding Hood Meets Freud in Lucrecia Martel’s Salta Trilogy.” Camera Obscura, Vol. 29, No. 3 (2014): pp. 93-115.

A5. Sosa, Cecilia. “A Counter-Narrative of Argentine Mourning: The Headless Woman, Directed by Lucrecia Martel.” Theory, Culture & Society, Vol. 26, No. 7-8 (2009): pp. 250-262.

A6. Olivera, Guillermo. “The Violence of (In)visibility: Queer Adolescence and Space in Lucía Puenzo’s XXY.” Chasqui Vol. 46, No. 2 (2017): 207-226.

A7. Gamba, Ana Marina. “Rethinking Victimhood: Violence and Female Agency in Contemporary Argentine Memory Cinema.” Confluencia (Fall 2021): pp. 17-29.

A8. Hogan, Erin K. “Girls and Dolls: The Biopolitics of Gender and Space in Lucía Puenzo’s Wakolda.” The Comparatist 42 (2018): 246-263.

A9. Selimovic, Inela. “Unorthodox Homes in Pablo Trapero’s Leonera (2008) and El clan (2015): Shattered Lives, Political Selves.”  Chasqui Vol. 48, No. 2 (2019):   pp. 34-52.

A10. Urraca, Beatriz. “Rituals of Performance: Ricardo Darín as Father Julián in Elefante blanco.” Revista de Estudios Hispánicos, Vol. 48, No. 2 (June 2014): pp. 353-372.

A11. Ran, Amalia. “The Return to the Savage Era: Jewish Signifiers and Violence in Damián Szifrón’s Wild Tales.” Post Script (Winter-Summer 2019): pp. 86-125.

Distribution of Grades:

 Reading and Viewing Journal, Part 1                        20

Reading and Viewing Journal, Part 2                         20

Essay                                                                               20

Group Presentation                                                      20

Class Participation                                                       20

 Reading and Viewing Journal:

Please write at least one page, typed, double-spaced, on each of the assigned films and readings; see the complete list under “Assignments: Journal Part One” and “Assignments: Journal Part Two.” For each half of the journal, write a single Word document and begin each entry on a new page. Please number your entries and follow the order given on the list provided on the assignment. You should submit each half of your journal as a single Word document, through Canvas; submit the first half by 7 pm on Friday, October 28, and the second half by 7 pm on Friday, December 9.

Analytical Essay:

 Please write a 4-6-page analytical essay comparing the treatment of a theme or issue in two or three of the films that we have studied in class this quarter. For more specific guidelines and suggested topics, see the instructions posted to our Canvas site. Also feel free to check with me about another proposed topic. The essay should be uploaded to the Canvas drop box by 7 pm on Sunday, December 11. Please title your file YourlastnameEssay.docx (for instance, Jones.Essay.docx).

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Please utilize the services of the writing tutors at the Odegaard Writing and Research Center and the resources that they provide. You can make appointments with them online:

https://depts.washington.edu/owrc/

Group Presentation:

In collaboration with several other students, you will prepare a presentation on an additional film on Netflix. Your presentation should last about twenty minutes, plus you should direct class discussion for another ten minutes.

Class Participation:

Your class participation grade will be based on the frequency and quality of your participation in class discussions. Obviously, a major part of this will involve regular class attendance and being prepared by having read the assigned texts and viewed the assigned films.

Plagiarism:

Please be aware that, through Canvas, your written work will be submitted to Vericite. You are responsible for understanding and observing the UW guidelines regarding plagiarism:

http://depts.washington.edu/grading/issue1/honesty.htm

It is not acceptable under any circumstances to use a for-pay paper web site as a source of information. Incidents of plagiarism may be reported to the Provost’s Committee on Academic Conduct.  A second incident could result in your suspension from the University. Please let me know if you have any questions about these guidelines or about the UW policy on plagiarism.

Students with Disabilities:

To request accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924 ((V/TTY). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating that you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss such accommodations.

Internet Resources:

Mediático:

http://reframe.sussex.ac.uk/mediatico/

Metacritic Film Reviews and Trailers:

http://www.metacritic.com

Internet Movie Data Base:

http://www.imdb.com/

UW Libraries Guide to Cinema Studies:

http://guides.lib.washington.edu/cinemaStudies

CALENDAR

WEEK ONE

Thurs, 29 September

Introduction

F1. Octavio Getino and Fernando Solanas, La hora de los hornos / The Hour of the Furnaces (1968), Canvas

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636/assignments/7474306

A1. Adamson article

WEEK TWO

Tues 4 Oct                                                      

NO CLASS

Thurs 6 Oct                                                                          

F2: Luis Puenzo, La historia oficial / The Official Story (1985), Canvas

https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/5724028

A2. Tomlinson article

WEEK THREE 

Tues 11 Oct                                                                            

F3: Fabián Bielinsky, Nueve reinas / Nine Queens (2000)

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C3360581

A3. Copertari article

Thurs, 13 Oct

F4. Lucrecia Martel, La Ciénaga (2001)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B00RL9PEXQ/ref=atv_sr_def_c_unkc_2_1_2?sr=1-2&pageTypeIdSource=ASIN&pageTypeId=B00RL9T89C&qid=1656385598

A4. Schroeder article

WEEK FOUR 

Tues, 18 Oct

F5. Lucrecia Martel, La mujer sin cabeza / The Headless Woman (2008)

https://www.amazon.com/Headless-Woman-English-Subtitled/dp/B004I6I2HA

A5. Sosa article

Thurs, 20 Oct

F6. Lucía Puenzo, XXY (2007)

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C1825149

A6. Olivera article

WEEK FIVE 

Tues, 25 Oct

F7. Diego Lerman, El ojo invisible / The Invisible Eye (2010)

https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/160364

Thurs, 27 Oct

F8. Benjamín Avila, Infancia clandestina / Clandestine Childhood (2012)

https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/160140

A7. Gamba article

Friday, 28 Oct

7 pm JOURNAL ONE DUE

WEEK SIX  

Tues, 1 Nov

F9. Lucía Puenzo, Wakolda / The German Doctor (2013)

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C2845079

A8. Hogan article

Thurs,  3 Nov

F10: Pablo Trapero, Leonera / Lion’s Den (2008)

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636/assignments/7474304

A9. Selimovich article

WEEK SEVEN 

Tues, 8 Nov

F11: Pablo Trapero, Elefante blanco / White Elephant (2012)

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1578636/assignments/7474305

A10. Urraca article

Thurs,  10 Nov

F12. Damián Szifrón, Relatos salvajes / Wild Tales (2014)

https://search-alexanderstreet-com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C3373261

A11. Ran article

WEEK EIGHT 

Tues,   15 Nov

F13. Sebastián Schindel, The Boss, Anatomy of a Crime / El patron, radiografía de un crimen (2014), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/title/80187020

Thurs,  17 Nov

F14. Diego Lerman, A Sort of Family / Una especie de familia (2017), 1 h 35 m.

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=a%20sort%20of%20family&jbv=80202808

Presentation One: Diego Lerman, Refugiado (2014)

https://www.netflix.com/browse/m/genre/81417788?jbv=80013483

WEEK NINE 

Tues, 22 Nov

F15: Miguel Cohan, La misma sangre / Blood Will Tell (2019), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=la%20misma%20sangre&jbv=81018067

Presentation Two: Gastón Duprat, Mi obra maestra / My Masterpiece (2018)

https://www.netflix.com/browse/m/genre/81417788?jbv=81023638

Thurs, 24 Nov

Thanksgiving

WEEK TEN 

Tues, 29 Nov

F16: Sebastián Schindel, El hijo / The Son (2019), 1 h 32 m.

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=el%20hijo&jbv=80994020

Presentation Three: Sebastián Schindel, The Wrath of God (2022)

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=distinguished%20citizen&jbv=81453545

Thurs,  1 Dec

F17. Sebastián Schindel, Crímenes de familia / The Crimes that Bind (2020), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=crimes%20that%20bind&jbv=81227758

Presentation Four: Marcos Carnevale, All Hail / Granizo (2022)

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=all%20hail&jbv=81073970

WEEK ELEVEN

Tues, 6 Dec

F18: Carlos Sorín, Notes for My Son / El cuaderno de Tomy (2020), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=notes%20for%20my%20son&jbv=81147160

Presentation Five: Ariel Winograd, Today We Fix the World / Hoy se arregla el mundo (2022)

https://www.netflix.com/browse/m/genre/81417788?jbv=81194031

Thurs, 8 Dec

F19. Claudia Llosa, Fever Dream / Distancia de rescate (2021), Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=fever%20dream&jbv=80233703

Conclusions

Fri, Dec 9

7 pm JOURNAL TWO DUE

Sun, Dec 11

7 pm    ESSAY DUE