The Mexican Revolution of the 1910s alone is considered to have inspired some hundreds of border films, mostly documentaries and docudramas. The Mexican film industry has a nearly equally long history of representing the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. According to Norma Iglesias-Prieto, one of the leading scholars in the field of Mexican border cinema, more than 300 border films were produced in Mexico between 1936 and 1996. “By the 1930s, Mexican producers were beginning to view the border as a profitable theme for Mexico’s national film industry” (Iglesias-Prieto 1998). Referring to Iglesias-Prieto’s classic book-length study "Entre yerba, polvo y plomo: Lo fronterizo visto por el cine mexicano" (1991), Fregoso argues that Mexico produced 147 border films in the decade between 1979 and 1989 alone (cp. 2003). Charles Ramírez Berg also points to a boom in 'cine fronterizo' in the 1980s: "Border films have flourished on the lowest end of the economic and aesthetic Mexican moviemaking scale for decades. The 'narcotraficante' film, a Mexican police genre, is the most popular (...)
Table of Contents
- 1 INTRODUCTION
- 2 THEORIZING AND HISTORICIZING THE PHENOMENON OF BORDER CINEMA
- 2.1 The View from the North: The U.S.‐Mexico Border(lands) According to Hollywood
- 2.2 The View from the South: Mexican Border Cinema and la frontera
- 3 TRANSNATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE U.S. BORDERLANDS: OUTLAW WOMEN IN CONTEMPORARY BORDER CINEMA
- 3.1 Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel: Border Cinema Goes Global
- 3.2 María Novaro’s Sin dejar huella: Border Cinema Meets Road Movie
- 4 CONCLUSION
Objectives and Key Themes
This study offers a comparative analysis of transnational filmic representations of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands and different types of female outlaw characters in contemporary border cinema. Through a close reading of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel (2006) and María Novaro’s Sin dejar huella (2000), the study aims to analyze how these films position themselves in contemporary debates on migration, mobility, and globalization. The analysis focuses on how these films, albeit in very different ways, utilize ‘outlaw women’ to offer counter-images to stereotypical representations in border cinema and new ways to portray the U.S.-Mexican borderlands.
- Transnational Representations of the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands
- Female Outlaw Characters in Contemporary Border Cinema
- Migration, Mobility, and Globalization in Border Films
- Deconstruction of Stereotypes in Border Cinema
- The U.S.-Mexican Border as a Site of Cultural Exchange and Conflict
Chapter Summaries
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the study's focus on transnational representations of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands in contemporary cinema, specifically examining the portrayal of "outlaw women." It highlights the pivotal role of the border in both U.S. and Mexican cinematic imaginaries and notes the vast number of films produced on both sides of the border, forming the genre of "border cinema." The chapter establishes the long history of the border's representation, marked by stereotypes and binary oppositions, and emphasizes the need to analyze how contemporary border films approach the topic of borders, borderlands, border crossings, and female border crossers who act outside the law.
2 THEORIZING AND HISTORICIZING THE PHENOMENON OF BORDER CINEMA: This chapter explores the evolution of border cinema in both the U.S. and Mexican film industries. It examines how the U.S., predominantly through Hollywood, and Mexico have constructed their respective ideas of the border, borderlands, and border crossers. The chapter discusses the prevalent negative portrayals of the border region in both national cinemas, often associating it with lawlessness, crime, and stereotypical representations of Mexicans and Latinos. It analyzes the distinct cinematic traditions that have shaped these representations and how they reflect contrasting historical, social, and political characteristics of the two countries. The chapter further explores how the border has been used as a marker of national identity and a site of cultural binary oppositions.
3 TRANSNATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE U.S. BORDERLANDS: OUTLAW WOMEN IN CONTEMPORARY BORDER CINEMA: This chapter delves into a comparative analysis of two contemporary border films: Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel and María Novaro's Sin dejar huella. It examines how these films utilize "outlaw women" as central characters to challenge established stereotypes and offer new perspectives on the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. The chapter explores the unique narrative and visual strategies employed in each film and analyzes how they engage with contemporary debates on migration, mobility, and globalization. The discussion includes detailed analyses of specific scenes and sequences, focusing on border-crossing experiences and their significance in shaping the outlaw characters and their relationships to the border.
Keywords
Transnational American Studies, border cinema, cine fronterizo, Chicano cinema, outlaw women, U.S.-Mexico borderlands, la frontera, migration, mobility, globalization, stereotypes, gender, ethnicity, illegality, criminality, Babel, Sin dejar huella, hyperlink cinema, road movie, Mexican Revolution, Hollywood, NAFTA.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this study?
This study offers a comparative analysis of transnational filmic representations of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, focusing specifically on the portrayal of female outlaw characters in contemporary border cinema. It examines how these films engage with contemporary debates on migration, mobility, and globalization.
Which films are analyzed in this study?
The study conducts a close reading of two films: Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel (2006) and María Novaro's Sin dejar huella (2000). These films are analyzed for their unique approaches to representing the U.S.-Mexico borderlands and their use of "outlaw women" characters.
What are the key themes explored in the study?
Key themes include transnational representations of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, female outlaw characters in contemporary border cinema, migration, mobility, and globalization in border films, deconstruction of stereotypes in border cinema, and the U.S.-Mexican border as a site of cultural exchange and conflict.
How does the study approach the analysis of the films?
The study employs a comparative analysis, examining the narrative and visual strategies employed in Babel and Sin dejar huella. It analyzes how these films utilize "outlaw women" to challenge established stereotypes and offer new perspectives on the border region. The analysis includes detailed examinations of specific scenes and sequences.
What is the historical context provided in the study?
The study explores the evolution of border cinema in both the U.S. and Mexican film industries, examining how each country has historically constructed its ideas of the border and its inhabitants. It highlights the prevalent negative portrayals in both national cinemas and discusses the distinct cinematic traditions that have shaped these representations.
What is the significance of "outlaw women" in this study?
The "outlaw women" characters in the selected films serve as central figures in challenging established stereotypes and offering counter-images to traditional representations in border cinema. Their experiences of border-crossing and their relationships to the border are key elements of the analysis.
What are the key terms and concepts used in the study?
Key terms include: Transnational American Studies, border cinema, cine fronterizo, Chicano cinema, outlaw women, U.S.-Mexico borderlands, la frontera, migration, mobility, globalization, stereotypes, gender, ethnicity, illegality, criminality, Babel, Sin dejar huella, hyperlink cinema, road movie, Mexican Revolution, Hollywood, and NAFTA.
What is the structure of the study?
The study is structured into four chapters: an introduction, a chapter theorizing and historicizing border cinema, a chapter analyzing the selected films and their portrayal of "outlaw women," and a conclusion. The study also includes a table of contents and chapter summaries.
For whom is this study intended?
This study is intended for academic use, aiming to analyze themes in a structured and professional manner.
- Citation du texte
- Jeanette Gonsior (Auteur), 2014, Transnational Representations of the U.S. Borderlands. Outlaw Women in Contemporary "Border Cinema", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/502500
