Queer Masculinities in Mexican Cinema

Mexican cinema has not been unique in reflecting societal constructions of gender in cinema, nor has it been unique in using queerness as a foil to such constructions. It also has followed the path that as societies begin to open up to gender and sexual diversity, deeper depictions of queer characters complicate traditional constructions further while moving towards more authentic representations and narratives.

This course is interested in such a transition in Mexican cinema, when a limited number of films began to center on biologically male (and mostly male-identifying) characters who challenge traditional constructions of masculinity. In this course we will first focus on two late 20th century films that find queer characters enmeshed in traditional constructions of masculinity. Then, we will turn our attention to a landmark in independent global cinema that blurs the lines between the homosocial and the homoerotic before ending with an early (and relatively short) entry from a prominent Mexican gay art cinema auteur.

Films:

5/6: EL LUGAR SIN LÍMITES (THE PLACE WITHOUT LIMITS 1978, 110 min)

5/13: DOÑA HERMINDA Y SU HIJO (DOÑA HERLINDA AND HER SON 1985, 90 min)

5/20: Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN (2001, 106 min)

5/27: MIL NUBES DE PAZ CERCAN EL CIELO, AMOR, JAMÁS ACABARÁS DE SER AMOR (A THOUSAND CLOUDS OF PEACE 2003, 83 min)

Jordan Sudermann teaches IB Film and various social science courses at Lincoln High School. His interests in film include post-war European art cinema, East Asian cinemas, and queer cinemas. Previous courses at Movie Madness University include Japanese New Wave, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Youth in Revolt, and Cinema Novo & Beyond.

Enrollment is limited to 18 students.

Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.