Almodóvar’s Films: Desire, Transgression, History

In this course we will analyze selected films by internationally acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar (La ley del deseo, Todo sobre mi madre, Volver, etc.). After Francoism’s end, Spain refashioned itself to produce new subjectivities and meanings of Spanishness. Our analysis of these transformations will involve the interconnections of desire, transgression, and history. By examining filmic constructions of popular culture (music, melodrama, hispanidad), authorship (directors, the creative process, the film industry), gender performativity, and (post)national/global identities, we will understand how Almodóvar’s films demand, portray, and shape social change. Readings include history, criticism, and critical theory. This course is equivalent to a low 0300 course (SPAN 0220 or placement).