National Cinemas and Foreign Labor in Latin America

From its arrival in metropolises from Mexico City to Santiago in 1896, cinema in Latin America has been marked by foreigners. In this course we will rethink traditional national film historiographies, which largely ignore the contributions of foreign film labor beyond their importation of technology and technical expertise. We will explore ways in which specific individuals practiced their jobs (actor, cinematographer, director, sound designer, among others) in significant moments in Latin American cinema, from the silent period to today, and engage key debates in film theory such as authorship, modes of production, national cinema, and transnationalism. 3 hrs. sem.