PORT 290 / SPRING 2022
AFRO-LUSO-BRAZILIAN CINEMA AND SHORT FILM-MAKING
Professor Patrícia Lino
TR 10:00 - 11:50AM
Office Hours: R 12:00-1:00PM
5328 Rolfe Hall
patricialino@g.ucla.edu
Zoom ID: 965 449 2228
Language: English (students are able to turn in their response and final papers in Spanish or Portuguese as well).
NOTE
The syllabus is my intelectual property. Therefore, any reproduction or unauthorized circulation is forbidden.
AFRO-LUSO-BRAZILIAN CINEMA AND SHORT FILM-MAKING
Professor Patrícia Lino
TR 10:00 - 11:50AM
Office Hours: R 12:00-1:00PM
5328 Rolfe Hall
patricialino@g.ucla.edu
Zoom ID: 965 449 2228
Language: English (students are able to turn in their response and final papers in Spanish or Portuguese as well).
NOTE
The syllabus is my intelectual property. Therefore, any reproduction or unauthorized circulation is forbidden.
CLASS 1 // MARCH 29
1. INTRODUCTIONS
2. SYLLABUS, EVALUATIONS, PAPERS AND ACTIVITIES
3. SOME NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF AFRO-LUSO-BRAZILIAN FILM
DOCUMENTS
Lumière, Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory. 1895 [LINK]
Eisenstein's Methods of Montage Explained | Montage Theory [LINK]
Dziga Vertov, Man With A Movie Camera. 1929 [LINK]
1929: Man With A Movie Camera, What makes something "Cinema"? [LINK]
Manoel de Oliveira, Douro, Faina Fluvial. 1931 [LINK]
Brief History of Brazilian Cinema [LINK]
Carmen Miranda, Hello Hello Brazil [LINK]
Carmen Miranda, "Aquarela do Brasil" & "You Discover You're In New York" [LINK]
DZIGA VERTOV. MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA. 1929.
CLASS 2 // MARCH 31
1. TWO PORTRAITS OF THE COLONIAL MIND
BACURAU (2021) by KLEBER MENDONÇA FILHO
WATCH THE REST OF THE FILM HERE OR HERE.
DOCUMENTS
Review of Bacurau (2020) [LINK]
Review of Bacurau (2020) [LINK]
Review of Vazante (2018) [LINK]
Review of Vazante (2017) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH VAZANTE (2018) by DANIELA THOMAS HERE OR HERE.
2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON BOTH VAZANTE AND BACURAU AND TURN IT IN TO ME NEXT CLASS.
KLEBER MENDONÇA FILHO. BACURAU. TRAILER. 2021.
CLASS 3 // APRIL 3
1. DISCUSSION OF BACURAU AND VAZANTE
2. OUTSIDE FILMING GROUP EXERCISE: CUTS, TRANSITIONS, MOVEMENT
— Multiple exposure
— Fast motion, slow motion, stop motion animations
— Freeze frames
— Match cuts, jump cuts, split screens
— Dutch angles
— Extreme close-ups
— Reversed footage.
HOMEWORK
1. ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP MUST PUT TOGETHER THE FILMING EXERCISES AND EMAIL THEM TO PATRICIALINO@G.UCLA.EDU UP TO 2H BEFORE OUR NEXT CLASS.
DANIELA THOMAS. VAZANTE. 2017.
CLASS 4 // APRIL 7
1. THE UNTOLD LIVES OF WOMEN
INVISIBLE LIFE (2019) by KARIM AINOUZ
WATCH THE REST OF INVISIBLE LIFE HERE OR HERE.
DOCUMENTS
Review of Invisible Life (2019) [LINK]
Review of Blood of My Blood (2012) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH BLOOD OF MY BLOOD (2011) BY JOÃO CANIJO HERE.
[TWO IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING BLOOD OF MY BLOOD:
A. The end scene of Blood of My Blood on sexual abuse can be triggering and very hard to watch. I strongly recommend you to not watch it. If you decide to follow my suggestion, stop watching the film by 1:50:00.
B. Blood of My Blood is not available on Kanopy. You can watch on Amazon Prime by starting a 7-day free trial on Fandor.]
2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON ONE OF THE FILMS (INVISIBLE LIFE OR BLOOD OF MY BLOOD).
3. STARTING THINKING, IN GROUPS OF 2 OR 3, ABOUT THE MAKING OF YOUR SHORT FILM.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SHORT FILM [WORK GROUP]
0. Take a look at this short film and this other one. They were both respectively made in one of my previous classes on cinema (SPRING 20) by my former students Elisa Ciappi and Christian Herrera. In SPRING 20, students were asked to portray their experience through quarantine.
1. Select a subject. The subject must be related to one of the subjects studied and debated in class. Here are some ideas:
a. Adapt one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch to the present or your own cultural reality.
b. Make a parody of one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch.
c. Make a critique of one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch.
d. Create another end for one of the films.
2. Draw a storyboard. Who are your characters? Is there a narrator? Are you the narrator? How many scenes? How many cuts? What will be the soundtrack?
3. Your short film has to last at least 5 minutes.
4. Make sure to include at least 3 of the cuts/transitions or effects mentioned HERE.
5. Be creative and feel free to explore any subject you are interested in.
6. Prepare yourself to present your short film on April 28 or May 3 (check schedule, classes 10 and 11). Besides the exhibition of the short film itself, you must prepare a 10 minute presentation on your cinematographic decisions, experiences, and processes.
1. THE UNTOLD LIVES OF WOMEN
INVISIBLE LIFE (2019) by KARIM AINOUZ
WATCH THE REST OF INVISIBLE LIFE HERE OR HERE.
DOCUMENTS
Review of Invisible Life (2019) [LINK]
Review of Blood of My Blood (2012) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH BLOOD OF MY BLOOD (2011) BY JOÃO CANIJO HERE.
[TWO IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING BLOOD OF MY BLOOD:
A. The end scene of Blood of My Blood on sexual abuse can be triggering and very hard to watch. I strongly recommend you to not watch it. If you decide to follow my suggestion, stop watching the film by 1:50:00.
B. Blood of My Blood is not available on Kanopy. You can watch on Amazon Prime by starting a 7-day free trial on Fandor.]
2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON ONE OF THE FILMS (INVISIBLE LIFE OR BLOOD OF MY BLOOD).
3. STARTING THINKING, IN GROUPS OF 2 OR 3, ABOUT THE MAKING OF YOUR SHORT FILM.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SHORT FILM [WORK GROUP]
0. Take a look at this short film and this other one. They were both respectively made in one of my previous classes on cinema (SPRING 20) by my former students Elisa Ciappi and Christian Herrera. In SPRING 20, students were asked to portray their experience through quarantine.
1. Select a subject. The subject must be related to one of the subjects studied and debated in class. Here are some ideas:
a. Adapt one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch to the present or your own cultural reality.
b. Make a parody of one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch.
c. Make a critique of one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch.
d. Create another end for one of the films.
2. Draw a storyboard. Who are your characters? Is there a narrator? Are you the narrator? How many scenes? How many cuts? What will be the soundtrack?
3. Your short film has to last at least 5 minutes.
4. Make sure to include at least 3 of the cuts/transitions or effects mentioned HERE.
5. Be creative and feel free to explore any subject you are interested in.
6. Prepare yourself to present your short film on April 28 or May 3 (check schedule, classes 10 and 11). Besides the exhibition of the short film itself, you must prepare a 10 minute presentation on your cinematographic decisions, experiences, and processes.
KARIM AINOUZ. INVISIBLE LIFE. 2019.
CLASS 5 // APRIL 12
1. DISCUSSION OF INVISIBLE LIFE AND BLOOD OF MY BLOOD
2. OUTSIDE FILMING GROUP EXERCISE: A NORMAL DAY FOR A WOMAN
HOMEWORK
1. ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP MUST PUT TOGETHER THE FILMING EXERCISES AND EMAIL THEM TO PATRICIALINO@G.UCLA.EDU UP TO 2H BEFORE OUR NEXT CLASS.
JOÃO CANIJO. BLOOD OF MY BLOOD. TRAILER. 2011.
CLASS 6 // APRIL 14
1. THE 70's-80's: TWO GAY PORTUGUESE ICONS, AL BERTO AND ANTÓNIO VARIAÇÕES
AL BERTO (2017) BY VICENTE ALVES DO Ó
KEEP WATCHING AL BERTO HERE.
DOCUMENTS
Review of Al berto (2017) [LINK]
Review of Variations (2019) [LINK]
António Variações last performance on Portuguese TV [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH VARIATIONS (2019) BY JOÃO MAIA HERE.
2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON BOTH AL BERTO AND VARIATIONS.
3. CONTINUE TO THINK, IN GROUPS OF 2 OR 3, ABOUT THE MAKING OF YOUR SHORT FILM.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SHORT FILM [WORK GROUP]
0. Take a look at this short film and this other one. They were both respectively made in one of my previous classes on cinema (SPRING 20) by my former students Elisa Ciappi and Christian Herrera. In SPRING 20, students were asked to portray their experience through quarantine.
1. Select a subject. The subject must be related to one of the subjects studied and debated in class. Here are some ideas:
a. Adapt one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch to the present or your own cultural reality.
b. Make a parody of one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch.
c. Make a critique of one or more scenes of one the films we watched or are about to watch.
d. Create another end for one of the films.
2. Draw a storyboard. Who are your characters? Is there a narrator? Are you the narrator? How many scenes? How many cuts? What will be the soundtrack?
3. Your short film has to last at least 5 minutes.
4. Make sure to include at least 3 of the cuts/transitions or effects mentioned HERE.
5. Be creative and feel free to explore any subject and techniques you are interested in.
6. Prepare yourself to present your short film on April 28 or May 3 (check schedule, classes 10 and 11). Besides the exhibition of the short film itself, you must prepare a 10 minute presentation on your cinematographic decisions, experiences, and processes.
VICENTE ALVES DO Ó. AL BERTO. TRAILER. 2017.
CLASS 7 // APRIL 19
1. DISCUSSION OF AL BERTO AND VARIATIONS
2. GROUP EXERCISE: QUEERING NARRATIVES
HOMEWORK
1. ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP MUST PUT TOGETHER ALL YOUR IDEAS AND EMAIL THEM TO PATRICIALINO@G.UCLA.EDU UP TO 2H BEFORE OUR NEXT CLASS.
JOÃO MAIA. VARIATIONS. 2019.
CLASS 8 // APRIL 21
ELISA AND MARCELA (2019) BY ISABEL COIXET
KEEP WATCHING ELISA AND MARCELA HERE.
DOCUMENTS
Review of Elysa and Marcela (2019) [LINK]
Review of Elysa and Marcela (2019) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH GOOD MANNERS (2018) BY JULIANA ROJAS HERE.
2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON BOTH ELISA AND MARCELA AND GOOD MANNERS.
ELISA AND MARCELA (2019) BY ISABEL COIXET
KEEP WATCHING ELISA AND MARCELA HERE.
DOCUMENTS
Review of Elysa and Marcela (2019) [LINK]
Review of Elysa and Marcela (2019) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH GOOD MANNERS (2018) BY JULIANA ROJAS HERE.
2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON BOTH ELISA AND MARCELA AND GOOD MANNERS.
ISABEL COIXET. ELISA AND MARCELA. TRAILER. 2019.
CLASS 9 // APRIL 26
1. DISCUSSION OF ELISA AND MARCELA AND GOOD MANNERS
2. DISCUSSION AND PREPARATION OF YOUR SHORT FILMS
NO HOMEWORK. PLEASE FOCUS ON YOUR SHORT FILM.
JULIANA ROJAS. GOOD MANNERS. 2018.
CLASS 10 // APRIL 28
1. EXHIBITION OF YOUR SHORT FILMS
CLASS 11 // MAY 3
1. EXHIBITION OF YOUR SHORT FILMS
1. EXHIBITION OF YOUR SHORT FILMS
CLASS 12 // MAY 5
1. THE TRANS EXPERIENCE: TONIA AND ARY
TO DIE LIKE A MAN (2011) BY JOÃO PEDRO RODRIGUES
DOCUMENTS
Review of To Die Like A Man (2011) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH ARY (2022) BY DANIELA GUERRA HERE.
2. 2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON BOTH TO DIE LIKE A MAN AND ARY.
1. THE TRANS EXPERIENCE: TONIA AND ARY
TO DIE LIKE A MAN (2011) BY JOÃO PEDRO RODRIGUES
DOCUMENTS
Review of To Die Like A Man (2011) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH ARY (2022) BY DANIELA GUERRA HERE.
2. 2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON BOTH TO DIE LIKE A MAN AND ARY.
JOÃO PEDRO RODRIGUES. TO DIE LIKE A MAN. TRAILER. 2011.
CLASS 13 // MAY 10
1. DISCUSSION OF TO DIE LIKE A MAN AND ARY
2. CLASS ACTIVITY
DANIELA GUERRA. ARY. 2022.
CLASS 14 // MAY 12
1. BLACK BRAZIL
AmarElo — IT'S ALL FOR YESTERDAY (2020) BY LEANDRO ROQUE DE OLIVEIRA
DOCUMENTS
Review of AmarElo (2020) [LINK]
Review of Black Orpheus (1959) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH BLACK ORPHEUS (1959) BY MARCEL CAMUS HERE.
2. WRITE A 2 PAGE RESPONSE PAPER ON ONE OF THE FILMS (AmarElo AND BLACK ORPHEUS).
LEANDRO ROQUE DE OLIVEIRA. AmarElo. TRAILER. 2020.
CLASS 15 // MAY 17
1. DISCUSSION OF AmarElo AND BLACK ORPHEUS
2. CLASS ACTIVITY
MARCEL CAMUS. BLACK ORPHEUS. 1959.
CLASS 16 // MAY 19
1. ANCESTRY AND THE PROTECTION OF INDIGENOUS LAND
BIRDWATCHERS (2010) BY MARCO BECHIS
DOCUMENTS
Review of Birdwatchers (2010) [LINK]
Review of Xingu (2012) [LINK]
HOMEWORK
1. WATCH XINGU (2012) by CAO HAMBURGER HERE OR HERE.
MARCO BECHIS. BIRDWATCHERS. TRAILER. 2010.
CLASS 17 // MAY 24
1. DISCUSSION OF BIRDWATCHERS AND XINGU
2. CLASS ACTIVITY
NO HOMEWORK. FOCUS ON YOUR FINAL PAPER.
CAO HAMBURGER. XINGU. 2012.
CLASS 18 // MAY 26
1. CLASS OVERVIEW
2. PREPARATION FOR YOUR FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS
CLASS 19 // MAY 31
POT LUCK + FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS
POT LUCK + FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS
CLASS 20 // JUNE 2
POT LUCK + FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS
POT LUCK + FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS
Course materials
All course materials will be available online.
Grading and Assignments
40% Response papers and activities
15% Short film
45% Final paper
100% Total
Grading Scale
A (93-100); A- (90-92); B+ (88-89); B (83-87); B- (80-82); C+ (78-80); C (73-77); C- (70- 72); D+ (68-70); D (63-67); F (63 and below)
Response papers, Presentation, and Final paper
Response papers and the final paper can be written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. Presentations will be in English.
Final Paper
At the end of the quarter, students will be required to write a broader, more cumulative essay that draws on and compares artistic productions we have studied throughout the quarter. It should be a topic that allows you to relate the film(s) to larger issues involving Brazilian cultural world. The final paper should be 8-10 pages long, Times New Roman, 12’ font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced. Also please email it to me [patricialino@g.ucla.edu] in WORD format by June 15.
Attendance and participation
The course will be conducted as a student-centered seminar, in which students are expected to attend class sessions prepared to contribute to discussions. This means students are expected to complete weekly reading assignments on time. In-class participation, although somewhat subjective, is based upon your response to questions, your willingness to fully engage yourself in the task at hand, and your shown interest towards the subject matter. Above all, the key to be able to participate successfully is preparation. Students are expected to come to class with ideas and questions about the readings and films. Class participation will count significantly towards the final grade. Since we meet only twice a week, after 3 unexcused absences, the participation grade will be deduced (1 point) each time the student misses class. Moreover, students are accountable for all work missed because of an absence.
Oral presentations
Individual oral presentations (10-15 minutes) will be brief and creative reinterpretations of primary and/or secondary sources, and will be scheduled in advance.
