SPA 476 The U.S.-Mexico Border on Film
Despite being an infinitely thin line dividing two sovereign nations that does not inhabit its own space, the U.S.-Mexico border has been consistently featured as both a setting and trope through over a half century of film. Through the works of male and female directors (both American and international) we will analyze a variety of cinematic representations of the border. In particular, we will examine how the border is constructed on film through the influence of historical, political, and cultural phenomena such as immigration, the War on Drugs, and the shifting dynamics of economic globalization. In doing so, we will necessarily question representations of Latin@ peoples and cultures, gender, and violence in an attempt to delineate how these media have shaped the way we think about the border, immigrants, labor, sexuality, and other topics as they emerge. Some films to be included are Alambrista (1977), No Country for Old Men (2007), Sleep Dealer (2008), and Precious Knowledge (2011). Films will be in English and Spanish.