This course will examine some of the best-known Latin American films in light of various strands of influential theoretical models pertaining to the area, such as film of liberation, imperfect cinema, third world film, new colonial discourse and national cultural identity critiques. In particular, we will explore whether the waning of revolutionary and other utopian discourses has given way to themes and techniques that feature migratory displacement, new gender formation and neoliberal ambivalence in Latin American cinema. The goal is not only to observe how these topics shift the focus from national histories or ideological common places but also to study how these films engage new video cultures and market pressures in their pursuit of audiences.  Film theory and criticism will therefore accompany the discussion of screened movies. The list of films will include No, City of God, Silent Night, Love is a Bitch, Memories of Underdevelopment, I The Worst of All, El Topo, Pixote, Entranced Earth, The Young and the Damned, El Mariachi, among others. The class will be mainly taught in Spanish but the films will be subtitled in English and students who wish to do so may write their papers and make their presentations in English. A minimum of two 15-page papers and a class presentation will be required.