33 1. READING FOR THIS WEEK ‘COMPULSORY Evans, Jo (2007) Julio Medem. London: Grant & Cutler, pp. 46-65. ['La ardilla roja: Mad Boy's Love Song?'] DUO RECOMMENDED Gabilondo, Joseba (2002) ‘Uncanny Identity: Violence Gaze, and Desire in Contemporary Basque Cinema’ in Constructing Identity in Contemporary Spain: Theoretical Debates and Cultural Practice, ed. by Jo Labanyi. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 262-279. Jordan, Barry and Mark Allinson (2005) Spanish Cinema: A Student's Guide. London: Hodder ‘mold. ['Cinematography in La ardilla roja, pp. 47-48), Loxham, Abigail (2014) Cinema at the Edges. New Encounters with Julio Medem, Bigas Luna and José Luis Guerin. Oxford and New York: Bergham [‘Language, Performance and the Creative Subject and ‘Performing a Feminine Self, pp. 77-86] Perriam, Chris (2003) Stars and Masculinities in Spanish Cinema: From Banderas to Bardem. ‘Oxford: OUP. [Carmelo Gémez’, pp. 70-92] Santaolalla, Isabel (1998) ‘Far from Home, Close to Desire: Julio Medem’s Landscapes’, Bulletin of Hispanic Studies Liverpool, 75.3, 331-338. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. ‘Smith, Paul Julian (1996), ‘Julio Medem’s La ardilla roja (The Red Squirrel): A Transparent Society?’ in his Vision Machines: Cinema, Literature and Sexuality in Spain and Cuba, 1983-1993. London and New York: Verso, pp. 128-145. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. Stone, Rob (2007) Julio Medem. Manchester: MUP. [Eyes that Strangle: La ardilla roja (1993)', pp. 68-97]. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. Stone, Rob and Maria Pilar Rodriguez (2015) Basque Cinema: A Cultural and Political History. London and New York: | B Tauris. Stone, Rob, (2002) Spanish Cinema. London and New York: Longman, pp. 158-82. ['Projections of Desire: Julio Médem' esp. 167-173] FILMS La ardilla roja (Julio Médem, 1993) 2. LECTURE OUTLINE * Brief introduction to regional cinemas (in particular Basque Cinema) * Brief introduction to the films of Julio Médem, er ge eee Soe Mer nna eae a mies BES et eee EU ecco ue arg Sere)3. GLOSSARY IDENTITY Much contemporary theory has sought to question the traditional belief that human identity is present to the conscious mind or at least an accessible piece of self-knowledge. Rather, many. theorists describe the subject as perpetually in flux, pursuing an illusion of wholeness and ‘selfhood that is ultimately unattainable, however necessary to human functioning [Adapted from Childers and Hentzi 1995). 4. SEMINAR QUESTIONS [Seminar 3 will focus on both La ardilla roja and Abre los ojos. Please be prepared to answer questions on both films. The class will be divided into 2 teams (each group will work on one film for up to 20 minutes) and then present findings to the class in less than 10 mins per group. he session will end with a 10-min plenary discussion that will draw some conclusions by ecu! ‘A. HISTORIAL MEMORY AND AMNESIA 1) To what extent are issues of historical memory (and amnesia) represented in this film? What is the relevance of those issues for the understanding of Spanish identities? B. GENDER IDENTITIES Sofia/ 8. 2) Discuss the representation of gender identities in this film, focusing on a comparison Elisa with Carmen to explore femininities and between Jota and Félix to discuss masculini 3) Smith (1996: 141) talks about the audience's identification with Jota from the beginning. How is this identification achieved? Can the same level of identification be achieved with the female characters. Why (or why not)? C. NATIONAL IDENTITIES 4) Both Isabel Santaolalla and Paul Julian Smith talk about the subtlety with which the ‘Basque identy’ of the film is constructed. Would you define this film as Basque or Spanish? What elements (semiotic, narrative) contribute to the construction of these two national identities? D. SYMBOLS CRS cy oes co ries Peery bth es eMC) NB The final soquonce of the film is available on DUO and it can be used to illustrate some of the answors above.