Filming from the Margins: Gender, Class Equality and Minority Groups in Contemporary Catalan Cinema

The Catalan audiovisual sector is expanding despite facing obstacles, since Spanish politics diminishes its singularity. Catalan language productions encounter a disadvantage in the broader market dominated by Spanish-speaking audiovisuals. On a global scale, small, regionally produced Catalan films and TV shows compete with major blockbusters, successfully gaining visibility. Overall, Catalan cinematography is progressing, while at the same time navigating marginalization and actively constructing its distinctive identity. The course explores how this regional cinema achieves distinctiveness, with a focus on the representation of women, social inequality, diverse minorities, and sustainability. Emphasizing the intersection of these issues, the course delves into the complexities of current Catalan social struggles on and off the screen.

Learning Objectives:
1) To gain knowledge about the Catalan cinematography and culture, its legal and commercial frame, as well as its marginal status
2) To develop nuanced understanding of diversity and plurality within the Catalan and Spanish culture and its relationship to audiovisual sector
3) To understand the social and political impact of the media representation of disadvantaged and minority groups, to foster critical thinking, promote cultural awareness and enhance media literacy
4) To learn how to create adequate, inclusive audiovisual representation when it comes to gender and minority issues.