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PORT30210

Academic Year 2026/2027

Migration Cinema in the Portuguese-Speaking World (PORT30210)

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

Curricular information is subject to change.

In recent decades, representations of migration, displacement, and diasporic experiences have acquired a relevant position in cinematographic narratives. Despite various classifications and denominations that have been assigned to this cinema (e.g. “migrant cinema”, “diasporic cinema” or “accented cinema”) they all converge to the fact that most films are starred by characters on the move, in the process of migration, in search of exile, land, space, a new sense of home.
This module aims to explore the various ways in which cinemas from the Portuguese-speaking world (Portugal, Brazil, Cape-Verde, Mozambique, and the wider diaspora) have represented migration at different historical moments, from the mid-20th to the present.
Students will analyse how films engage with the legacies of colonialism, rural–urban migration, postcolonial displacement, and transnational mobility, paying attention to the politics of representation, memory, and belonging.
Through close readings of films alongside critical scholarship, we will explore how cinematic journeys and film narratives negotiate Portugal’s colonial past and its relationship with former colonies, while reflecting the lived experiences of migrants and their descendants. Therefore, our discussions will situate films in their socio-historical contexts, examining the social, racial, and cultural discourses they reproduce or challenge.

Note: No prior knowledge of the Portuguese language or familiarity with the Portuguese-speaking world is required. All films will be subtitled in English.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module students will be able to:
1. Develop an in-depth knowledge of different cinematic narratives and representations of migration in the Portuguese-speaking world.
2. Analyse films critically using concepts from migration studies, postcolonial theory, and film studies (e.g., diaspora, transnationalism, accented cinema, border spaces).
3. Contextualise cinematic narratives within the historical, political, and social conditions that have shaped Lusophone migration, including colonialism, decolonisation, political upheavals, and economic challenges
4. Evaluate the politics of representation in Lusophone migration cinema, with particular attention to race, class, gender, and belonging.
5. Compare and contrast migration cinematic narratives from different Lusophone contexts, identifying shared legacies and distinctive perspectives.
6. Communicate critical arguments effectively through class discussion and written work, engaging with both primary film texts and secondary scholarship.

Indicative Module Content:

Indicative Module content:

• Migration Cinema: key concepts
• Backlands and internal migrations: Barren Lives (Nelson Pereira dos Santos 1963); Central Station (Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas, 1993)
• Brazilian immigration and integration in Portugal: Foreign Land (Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, 1996).
• Global migrations, borders and belonging: Lisboners (Sérgio Tréfaut, 2004); Nha Fala (Flora Gomes, 2002); Futuro Beach (Karim Ainouz, 2014)
• Cape Verdean Migration & Pedro Costa’s Cinematic Worlds (Down to Earth, Colossal Youth, and Vitalina Varela)
• Postcolonial Urban Spaces & Second-Generation Narratives: Outros Bairros (dir. Inês Gonçalves, Kiluanje Liberdade, Vasco Pimentel, 1998).
• Labour Migration, and precarity: Great Yarmouth: Provisional Figures (Marco Martins, 2022)

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. Competent

Critical Thinking

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

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. Competent

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. Competent

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. Competent

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. Competent

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. Competent

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Competent

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 lectures, seminars, or workshops per week. It is designed to enhance students' ability to do 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 analytical skills through film analysis and brief writing exercises.

Note on IA: AI may be used to help with the refinement of expression and style, but AI must be used critically, with an awareness of its limitations. You must add a note documenting and explaining your use of AI, mentioning the AI tool you used and the prompts you put in. The content and argument of the written assessment must be authored by you, and you must not allow the AI tool to alter the sense of any text, offer a critique of or modify any arguments.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
PORT20200 - Portuguese-Language Cinema


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Video-Essay: 10-12 m recorded video presentation/video essay offering a comparative analysis of two films. Week 15 Graded No
50
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Mid-term Essay: Write a 1000-word analysis of a specific film scene. Week 8 Graded No
30
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Contributions to in-class discussions, debates, tasks and learning activities throughout the semester Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
20
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring 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
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be provided through Brightspace on online submitted components, with opportunities for 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 via Brightspace.

Name Role
Dr Pascale Baker Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 10:00 - 10:50
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