Each year, I teach several Latin American History Courses. These include Colonial Latin America, Modern Latin America, Modern Mexico, US-Latin American Relations, Health and Society in Latin America, and Latin American Revolutions.
In each of these classes, my students respond really well to the films and documentaries we watch. I enjoy helping them connect the historical events we discuss in class with real and fictionalized accounts of everyday life in Latin America, and also to see (usually for the first time) the many environments that make up the cities and villages of the region.
Guided by my constant search for new films to use, and a desire to develop a future course on Latin American History through Film, I’ve decided to start my own Latin American Film Club to make my way through a collection of new-to-me cinema. I compiled my list based on recommendations from colleagues, and welcome any additional suggestions you might have.
I won’t post a review of each one here, but I will give my (brief) thoughts on my twitter account as I go along. Follow me at @steph_opp
For consideration:
A Place Called Chiapas
American/Sandinista
Amores Perros
And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself
Black Orpheus
Blame it on Fidel
Bolivar Soy Yo
Bus 174
Canoa
Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My Business
Cautiva
City of God
Cocalero
Cooking Up Dreams
El Infierno
El Silencio de Neto
Entre Nos
Eva Peron
Fidel: A Conversation
Fidel: The Untold Story
Four Days in September
Gringo in Mananaland
How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman
La Ciénaga
Let’s Go with Pancho Villa
Looking for Fidel
Machuca
Memories of Underdevelopment
Men with Guns
Missing
Our Lady of the Assassins
Pictures from a Revolution
Presumed Guilty
Que Viva Mexico
Rosario Tijeras
Saludos Amigos/Three Caballeros
Strawberry and Chocolate
The Blonds
The Devil’s Miner
The Last Supper
The Official Story
The Other Conquest
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
The Student
The Take
The Year My Parents Went on Vacation
Vidas Secas
Walt and El Grupo
Currently use:
Aguirre, Wrath of God
Che
El Compadre Mendoza
Even the Rain
Granito
Herod’s Law
Innocent Voices
Journey to Bananaland
Like Water for Chocolate
Salud
Sin Nombre
South of the Border
The Hugo Chavez Show (Frontline)
The Motorcycle Diaries
The Sixth Sun
The Storm that Swept Mexico
