Students and faculty will have a chance to experience the Spanish culture this semester as the Newton Grisham Library hosts the first ever Spanish Film Series.
Each month, the NGL will show a film based on a Spanish novel or play.
The series kicked off last month with “Los Viernes de la Eternidad,” an Argentine drama about two lovers’ pledge for eternal devotion to each other. Today, the NGL will show the second movie of the series, “El Palomo Cojo,” a comedy about the unexpected events that teach a young boy about relationships and his own personality during summer at his grandparents’ mansion.
The series was inspired by the launch of the Dias de Cine Reading Club and the American Library Association, a program that provides registered libraries with a free online selection of Spanish films based on Spanish literature, according to Erin Cassidy, Assistant Professor and Web Services Librarian who is running the series.
“The film series will provide a fun way for students in Spanish classes to interact with Spanish culture and dialogue outside of their classrooms,” she said. “I hope that attendees will feel engaged enough to stay and discuss how they felt about the film or what they learned from it.”
Cassidy planned the film series in collaboration with the Conversational Spanish class taught by Debra Andrist, Ph.D, chair of the department of foreign languages. She incorporates the movies into her course by requiring her students to go to each film, take notes, and later comprehend the film in class.
“I wanted the students to have additional ‘outside’ listening practice and fairly current cultural content from various countries,” Andrist said.
Cassidy hopes they will promote the interest in the Spanish literature collection at the library. Suggested reading lists will be available at each movie.
“My primary goal is to offer students, faculty, and staff a chance to experience a different cultural perspective in an engaging way,” she said.
The third film, being shown on March 27, is titled “Si Te Dicen Que Cai”. It is a drama about a medical examiner who recognizes a dead man to be an old friend while performing an autopsy. Next, on April 27, is a horror film titled “Nos miran,” about a detective who goes crazy while trying to solve a mysterious case.
The Spanish Film Series will conclude on May 8 with “Amar y Morir en Sevilla,” a drama about two notorious fighters who make a bet where the loser must forfeit his life.
Each film will be shown at 3:30 p.m. in NGL room 155. For more information, call the NGL at 936-294-1614.