The Spanish film Director Luis Buñuel played a decisive role in the development of modern cinema and contributed richly to the development of national cinemas in Spain, his country of origin, Mexico and France. A surrealist from the beginning to the end of his long career, Buñuel’s films remained deeply experimental and socially engaged simultaneously.
This five-week class will trace the arc of Buñuel’s film making. It begins by assessing the essential tension between social responsibility and artistic innovation in the director’s work by looking at La Age D’Or and Las Hurdes: Tierra Sin Pan (Las Hurdes: a Land without Food). It will examine Buñuel’s long period of filmmaking in Mexico through an examination of Los 0lvidados (The Forgotten). The Franco Regime’s attempt to legitimize itself by inviting the exiled director to make the film Viridiana, and the unforeseen consequences of this experiment will occupy the fourth week of the class. The last week treats Buñuel’s work in France through an examination of his Oscar winning The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and also assess Buñuel’s legacy as a filmmaker.
Registration Opens Online: Monday, March 25, 2019 at 8AM (AZ Time)
