There is a lot more to Spanish Queer Cinema than Pedro Almodóvar or the gay comedies of the 1990s. A wealth of short films, documentaries and features — many by, for, or about lesbians — is at the core of a creative culture responding to exceptionally intense social changes. The country has moved from institutionalising same-sex unions at the regional civic level (from 1998) to legal recognition of same-sex marriage (in 2005). Moving images and the debates and conversations around them have made a stand against homophobia and exclusion, responded to health and welfare crises, questioned or affirmed the value of same-sex marriage, and constructed new forms of love and community. They, and their audiences, build a new Spanish queer imagination. The book opens all this up, and shows some of the wider social contexts and forms of communication which underpin it.
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Examines filmmaking, festivals, queer lives and cultures in Spain since 1998
From the Back Cover
Since the Catalan government passed the first of Spain’s regional governmental laws on same-sex partnership in 1998, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer culture in Spain has thrived. Spanish Queer Cinema assesses the impact of this significant cultural expression on Spanish Cinema and evaluates the role LGBTQ film has had in creating and shaping identity and experience. Focusing on films from 1998 to the present day, Chris Perriam skilfully analyses the development of LGBTQ filmmaking and filmwatching in Spain and places this within the wider context of LGBTQ culture. Covering lesbian cinema as well as gay, and queer documentaries and short films, as well as mainstream features, the book investigates how LGBTQ films are circulated and how audiences react to them. It includes discussions of film festivals, cultural centres and social networking sites and it places the filmwatching experience within the context of other cultural activities such as television viewing, reading, surfing, downloading and festival-going. It assesses the importance and impact of Spanish queer cinema on the construction of LGBTQ identities and experiences. An informative and thought-provoking book, Spanish Queer Cinema is an essential read for students and scholars working in the fields of Film Studies, Spanish Studies and Cultural Studies. Chris Perriam is Professor of Hispanic Studies at the University of Manchester.
About the Author
Chris Perriam has worked as Professor of Hispanic Studies at the University of Manchester since 2004. He researches and teaches in the areas of Spanish Cultural Studies and Screen Studies and has a special interest in queer culture in Spain, France and Britain.
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