History at the Turn of the Century: Childhood and Memory in Recent Hispanic Cinema

History at the Turn of the Century:History at the Turn of the Century: Childhood and Memory in Recent Childhood and Memory in Recent

Hispanic CinemaHispanic Cinema

Natalie Nix

Dr. Vania Barraza-Toledo

IntroductionIntroduction Many Hispanic film directors

have turned the focus their films to narrating history through the eyes of children

◦El espinazo del diablo (2001)◦Kamchatka (2002)◦Machuca (2004)

Historical Context of FilmsHistorical Context of FilmsSpanish Civil War: 1936-1939

Republicans vs. Rebels or nationalists

Resulted in dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco

Latin American Dictatorships: 1970’s Liberal/communist vs. conservative Conflict between political parties Chile: dictatorship of Augusto

Pinochet Argentina: dictatorship of Jorge

Videla

Reflecting Upon PastReflecting Upon Past

The transition into a new millennium creates a time of self-reflection upon history and past events

By using children, films depict how history and memory influence construction of a personal and collective identity in Latin America and Spain

Commercial success of El laberinto del fauno presents the importance of this trend of introducing history through film to a broad public

Research Topic Research Topic The three films involved in this

project depict how revisiting the memories constructed during traumatic times in Hispanic history is essential to the formation of contemporary Hispanic identity during the transition to the 21st century

El espinazo del diablo El espinazo del diablo (2001)(2001)Guillermo del ToroStory of a boy living in Spain

during the Spanish Civil WarAfter his father is killed in battle,

young Carlos is brought to an orphanage where he avenges the ghost of a murdered orphan

Machuca Machuca (2004)(2004)Andrés WoodThe story of a young boy living in

Chile during the early 1970’s Ignoring social constraints,

Gonzalo Infante befriends a member of the working class, Pedro Machuca

Kamchatka Kamchatka (2002)(2002)Marcelo PiñeyroExplores the alternative realities

that are created for children by their parents in times of crisis

Follows young Harry and his family as they flee from Buenos Aires to a remote location

MethodologyMethodologyAnalysis of Films

oExtratextualoIntratextual

Categories of Analysis◦Family Situations◦Social Boundaries/Different Levels of

Reality◦Spatial Boundaries

Results: Social Results: Social Boundaries/RealitiesBoundaries/RealitiesKamchatka: alternative to reality

created through games Machuca: pre-set social boundaries

are broken by friendship of boysEl espinazo del diablo: supernatural

reality created by ghosts and superstitions

DiscussionDiscussionMorals or lessons learned in each

filmImportance of historical times

augment the persistence of memories in children

Memories serve as constant reminders of events during growth of child, thus greatly influencing identity

Discussion: Films and Current Discussion: Films and Current Hispanic Identity Hispanic Identity

Films remind viewers of old experiences or present history to a younger audience

Without memories, formation of identity is greatly hindered

Strong historical moments combined with personal stories help create a personal and communal Hispanic identity

ConclusionConclusionConnection exists between the

hardships children faced during their experiences and the formation of who they become as adults

The identity of an individual is greatly influenced by the memories and experiences gained during childhood

History at the Turn of the Century: Childhood and Memory in Recent Hispanic Cinema

Questions?