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PORT20230

Academic Year 2026/2027

Screening Crises in the Iberian Peninsula (PORT20230)

Subject:
Portuguese
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Languages, Cultures & Linguis
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
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 explores Iberian cinemas as a medium to examine, understand, and respond to the social, economic, and cultural upheavals in Spain and Portugal following the 2008 financial crisis. Throughout this module, students will engage with a range of contemporary Spanish and Portuguese films, analysing how they capture the multifaceted dimensions of the crisis and the societal responses to it. In the Iberian context, narratives such as labour precarity, late emancipation, shift in gender roles, or unemployment that have been associated with the ‘Generación Perdida’ [lost generation] that followed the 2008 crisis, are still in force 15 years later.
The course will not only provide an understanding of contemporary Iberian cinemas but will also encourage critical thinking about how cinema can serve as a medium for discussing and responding to crises and a catalyst for social renewal. Students will explore how these films shed light on the dynamic interplay between art, societal challenges, and the construction of imaginative pathways forward. By the end of the course, students will have gained an understanding of the role of cinema in reflecting and responding to crises and the myriad social disruptions that have shaped the contemporary Iberian Peninsula. Additionally, the analysis will shed light on the importance of cinema as a tool for raising awareness, fostering empathy, and inspiring action in times of crisis.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Course objectives:
● To understand the historical, social, and economic contexts of Spain and Portugal in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
● To identify distinctive characteristics and recurring themes in contemporary Iberian film production.
● To interpret these films as cultural references intertwined with the societal, political, and historical context of contemporary Spain and Portugal.
● To explore how artistic creations challenge dominant narratives and contribute to identity formation at both individual and societal levels.
● To develop strategies for analysing both fictional and documentary films, while gaining an appreciation for the artistic productions.
● To engage in discussions and debates regarding the cultural and social implications of cinematic portrayals of crises.
● To develop critical thinking, research, and effective communication skills through active participation in class discussions, assigned readings, and course-related tasks.

Indicative Module Content:

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

- Understanding Crisis and Aesthetics of Crisis.
- Context of the 2008 Financial Crisis: Slightly Smaller Than Indiana (Daniel Blaufuks, 2006).
- Life under austerity: Arabian Nights (Miguel Gomes, 2015), La Plaga (Neus Ballús)
- Work and unemployment: The Nothing Factory (Pedro Pinho, 2017), La Mano Invisible (David Macián, 2016)
- Housing Precarity: On the Fringe (Juan Diego Botto, 2022)
- Disaffected Youth and the Precarious Generation: Beautiful Youth (Jaime Rosales, 2014)
- Ecology and rurality: Fire will come (Oliver Laxe, 2019)
- The pandemic crisis and social reproduction: The Tsugua Diaries (Maureen Fazendeiro and Miguel Gomes, 2021)
- Conclusions: Fostering Hope, Empathy, and Empowerment through Cinema.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Advanced Beginner

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Advanced Beginner

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Advanced Beginner

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Novice

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Novice

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Advanced Beginner

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Tutorial

12
Specified Learning Activities

43
Autonomous Student Learning

43
Total

110

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will be delivered face-to-face through two weekly sessions combining lectures with interactive discussions, in-class group activities, and student participation. 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 class, to prepare questions or read secondary sources for seminars, and to participate actively in discussions. Specific learning activities will guide students in developing their own analytical skills through film analysis and brief writing exercises.
The end-of-trimester video-essay teaches students to develop their own research topic and trains creative and critical skills.

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 Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Write a 750-800 word analysis of a specific film scene. Week 8 Graded No
40
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Video-Essay: 10-12m recorded video presentation/essay focusing on one of the topics provided. See BrightSpace for the choice of Presentation Project Topics and detailed instructions Week 15 Graded No
40
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Contribution to in-class discussions, debates, tasks and learning activities throughout the trimester Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


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 will be provided through Brightspace on online submitted components, with opportunities to one-to-one feedback

Students are not required to purchase any materials for this module.
All films (with English subtitles) will be available on Brightspace.
Essential readings and learning materials will also be provided on Brightspace.

Indicative bibliography (provided on BS):
Allbritton, Dean (2014), “Prime risks: the politics of pain and suffering in Spanish crisis cinema”. Journal of Spanish Cultural Studies 15 (1-2): 101-115.
Bauman, Zygmunt and Bordoni, Carlo (2014), State of Crisis. Cambridge: Polity Press (selection of pages).
Butler, J. (2004), Precarious Life. The Powers of Mourning and Justice. London: Verso (selection of pages).
Villarmea Álvarez, Iván (2020), “It Could Happen to You. Characters as Places of Enunciation in Iberian Austerity Cinema”. In Austin, T. & Koutsourakis, A. (eds.) Cinema of Crisis: Film and Contemporary Europe. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press: 150-163.
Kourelou, Olga, Liz, Mariana & Vidal, Belén (2014), “Crisis and Creativity: The New Cinemas of Portugal, Greece and Spain”. New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film 12 (1, 2): 133-151.


Name Role
Dr Pascale Baker Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Eva Bru-Dominguez Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

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