Introduction: The Cultural Politics of Transnational Filmmaking

Abstract

The introduction establishes the book’s argument; how transnational cinema has become central to Latin American filmmaking and film industries. It briefly traces the national and global processes (neoliberalism) that have pushed these industries towards transnational modes. The introduction also explores theories of transnational cinema and how these fit within the political, postcolonial and auteurist discourses around Latin American national cinemas. It also explores how these discourses function in relation to Latin America’s art cinema resurgence. Centring on Madeinusa (Peru/Spain Claudia Llosa 2006) and La teta asustada (Peru/Spain Llosa 2009) the introduction examines their transnational (festival) funding structures and aesthetic features. The introduction concludes with an explanation of the rationale behind the structure of the book which places each transnational auteur within sections prefaced by accounts of the national industries (Mexico, Brazil and Argentina) in which they began and (in different ways) continue their filmmaking careers.