Spanish Cinema
by Dr Alfredo Martinez-Exposito
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Spain- ‘The nation’
• Nation as branding? (Link to Y10 Sport &
the Media)
• Spain rebranding process between
1992-2004
• Links between Australia & Spain?
(Independent study possibilities) How did
reception in US/UK change way text/s were
received in Oz
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

1992: rebranding
Begins...
• Barcelona Olympics
• Beginning of Spain foreign direct investment
boom
• La Belle epoque (Oscar)
• Rise of Almodavar
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

1939-75
• Fascist dictatorship
• 80s- Attempt to usurp the rigidity of
previous representational imagery.
• Film industry important activists in resisting
Franco era
• Church involved in censorship process
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Spanish Representation
• ‘Violence’ (US- reading)
• Live Flesh: The Male Body in Contemporary
Spanish Cinema (Fouz- Hernandez &
Martinez-Exposito)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Regional Representaion
• Basque
• Catalunya
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Socialism v Conservative popular Party
• Gay marriage law catalyst for political
debate and analysis relating to Almovadar’s
cinema.
• Almovadar becomes enunciator of Spanish
cultural capital.
• Spain is the 6th Film Power.. ‘Spain,
Argentina and Mexico should
merge.’ (Fernando Lafuente, Culture &
Brand Spain, 2005)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

A Spanish Cinema?
• Transnational trends
• Regional groupings- Can be classified as
European or Latino/Hispanic
• Sub-national identities- Own film identity in
Basque country or Catalunya
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

‘Country Image’
• Visual representation
• Ideological construction
• National reputation: Does a country name
help sell the product or work against
branding?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Audience: Reading the
Text
• Confirmation/rejection of ideas
• Importance of stereotype
• To what extent is Hollywood circulation of
Spanish image, more important than home
made Spanish circulation of image?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Film as Tourist
Promotion
• La Manche territory- Almovadar
territory...selling image as branding with re:
to the attraction of tourism.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Contemporary Spanish
Cinema
• Challenges existing stereotypes and
representational codes
• Made in Spain sells better now than in
previous decades?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Spain- Image
• ‘National sport’ to denegrate Spain...a little
like Britain?
• The Black Legend- Spanish empire/Dutch &
British discussed role of Inquisition and role
of Spanish troops in colonial areas
• Enlightenement- French portrayed Spain as
country dominated by medieval institutions
• Romantics- Spain as ‘oriental’ (Ed. Said)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Place Branding
• Brands as equivalent of factories 150 years
ago?
• Relate to Benedict Anderson- ‘Imagined
Communities’
• Branded cities, regions and nations
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Sydney, Hong Kong & Shanghai (Donald &
Brown)
• Re: Australian research
• Brands can redistribute wealth?
• Naomi Klein- ‘Brands are instruments of
advanced capitalism to subjugate and
exploit societies.’
Wednesday, February 4, 2009