Film & Theater studies
https://watch.plex.tv/movie/missing-young-woman
Readings:
Background article
POV synopsis of film and background on Lourdes Portillo- Director
http://www.truelives.org/pg_senoritaextraviada.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.Links to an external site.
Houston Chronicle article from 2010 on missing women- Juarez
https://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/article/Ciudad-Juarez-women-still-being-tortured-by-1703010.php
Article on Feminicide on Northern and southern borders of US/Mexico.
http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2015/07/mexicos-missing-and-murdered-woment.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.Links to an external site.
The films we have studied each take a different approach to documentary filmmaking. While there is some overlap, these approaches can be thought of as: journalistic, historical and biographical. The stories told are personal and public, at times they are both.
For your paper you are to write 4 pages on one of the following films:
-Señorita Extraviada: Missing young Woman
With the film’s particular scope and approach in mind, discuss one of the themes/concepts that emerged in class discussion or in your own reflections and notes. You may do this by discussing, a motif, a set of images, a character, a quote, a specific theme or any other aspect from the film to “anchor” your essay.
Be sure to ground your analysis using scenes of the film of your choice. Keep your essay topic focused. Refer to the lectures and readings as necessary.
** As you select your film and review your notes and accompanying readings, you may want to consider the following questions. These questions are designed to stimulate your thinking. You are not required to answer each and every one of them.
Who is the audience that is imagined in this film? What kind of authority does the filmmaker give to his/her film?
What are the roles and responsibilities of the filmmakers in telling this story? How does the style of filmmaking lend itself to the story being told?
You may further examine the motive of the filmmaker and his or her point of view.? What is unique about the filmmaker’s approach to the issue? How does the film work?
Structure: Your essay must contain a thesis (main argument) that you support with a balance of evidence –using scenes,(visuals, voice over and dialog from the film), readings and your own analysis. Your introduction should contain your topic and the main ideas/themes you will examine as well as lay out a “map” of your paper. The essay should flow and develop in a purposeful manner (sentence/paragraph/overall organization). While you must demonstrate your perspective and how you arrive to your conclusion(s), a successful paper will also be reflective and offer a larger point or further insight beyond “proving” your thesis. We want to see that you are engaged with the subject(s) of the film, its themes, the filmmaker’s approach, and how it speaks to you. That is, what kinds of connections does the film allow you to make? What questions does it raise for you?
