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PORT10090

Academic Year 2024/2025

Film and Fiction (in the Portuguese-speaking world) (PORT10090)

Subject:
Portuguese
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Languages, Cultures & Linguis
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Ana Vera
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module examines 20th and 21st-century film and some short extracts from literature of the Portuguese-speaking world. The selected cultural objects serve as vehicles for a deeper understanding of some major political and social shifts that have impacted the contemporary Portuguese-speaking world. The module encourages students to compare different cultural objects, through a variety of genres and media, in order to establish conceptual links and recognise some of the main features of contemporary Lusophone cultural production.

This module will be conducted in English and a reading knowledge of Portuguese is not required.

*Trigger warning: Some topics of a disturbing nature will be discussed, within the expected contexts of the course, such as violence and racism. Students will be warned about this material at the outset.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify distinctive characteristics and themes of the Portuguese-speaking film and literary productions;
• Comprehend the works as cultural references intrinsically connected to the social, political, and historical contexts of modern Portuguese-speaking countries;
• Apply pertinent historical and socio-political information to their analyses of cultural products and understand how literature and film respond to social change in the Portuguese-speaking world world;
• Identify and analyse significant cross-cultural differences and similarities among different Portuguese-speaking cinematographic productions and their cultures;
• Develop strategies for analysing film and fiction, while gaining an appreciation for the artistic productions.

Indicative Module Content:

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary, it is envisaged that the course will include the following topics:

- The Colonial War and the Collapse of the Empire: The Murmuring Coast, by Margarida Cardoso; The Murmuring Coast (Chapter 1: The Locusts) by Lidia Jorge.

- The Carnation Revolution (April Captains, by Maria de Medeiros)

- Mozambique: Colonial Impressions (We killed Mangy-Dog and Other Mozambique Stories, by Luís Bernardo Honwana)

- From colonial to the postcolonial nation: the power of image (Kuxa Kanema: the birth of cinema, Margarida Cardoso)

- Mozambique: The Civil War (Sleepwalking Land, by Teresa Prata)

- Angola: in search of a Nation (Yes, Comrade! by Manuel Rui)

- Angola: Post-Conflit and Marginality (The Hero, Zézé Gamboa)

- Brazil: In Times of Military Dictatorship (The Year My Parents Went on Vacation, by Cao Hamburger)

- Brazil: "Favelas" & Violence (City of God, by Fernando Meirelles)

- Cinematic representations of Afro-descendants in contemporary Portugal (Colossal Youth by Pedro Costa)

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

30

Autonomous Student Learning

46

Lectures

12

Seminar (or Webinar)

12

Total

100


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will be delivered face-to-face through two lectures, seminars, or workshops per week. It is designed to enhance students' ability to conduct in-depth film analysis and to connect their analyses with significant social, political, and cultural changes.
Lectures will demonstrate close film analysis and build students' understanding of the relationship between film and its production context. Students will be expected to watch films ahead of the class and to participate actively in discussions.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Quizzes/Short Exercises: A series of quizzes (on Brightspace) to be completed during trimester. Each quiz refers to the material covered in the two lectures hours per week/ one topic. Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
40
No
Assignment(Including Essay): Video-Essay: Film & Fiction recorded video presentation focusing on ONE of the 'video-essay' topics provided. See BrightSpace for choice of Presentation Project Topics and detailed instructions. Week 14 Graded No
60
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback individually to students on quizzes and final graded assessment Feedback to the class, on activities developed in class, where appropriate

• All films will be available on Brightspace (with English subtitles).
• I will also provide you selected readings from different texts in order to give you some background to Portuguese-speaking history, filmmaking and fiction.

Name Role
Dr Ana Vera Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 12:00 - 12:50
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 11:00 - 11:50