The Power of the Child’s-eye View: Reflections on Victor Erice’s El espíritu de la colmena and El Sur and Carla Simon’s Estiu 1993
Location
PANEL: Investigating Diverse Perspectives on Childhood Development and Social Identity
Wilder 101
Document Type
Presentation
Start Date
4-28-2023 10:00 AM
End Date
4-28-2023 11:00 AM
Abstract
The Franco dictatorship left an indelible mark on Spanish society. Those who lived during and after the conflicts were left with unresolved feelings and traumas that have been explored through countless art forms, including film. Two directors in particular, Victor Erice and Carla Simon, showcase what it was like to live through these events as children through their use of child protagonists in the films El espíritu de la colmena, El Sur, and Estiu 1993. In this project, I aim to explore how the use of child protagonists affects the storytelling and audience experience of watching a film. I argue that there are three main ways in which these films utilize their young protagonists to achieve a deeper impact on the audience: the “child’s-eye view”, the presence/absence of narration, and narrative parallels. Combined, these tools allow the audience to connect more fully with the embodied experience of living through these events and encourage the audience to approach difficult concepts with fierce curiosity, humility, empathy, and a childlike open mindedness.
Keywords:
Spanish film, Franco dictatorship, Film analysis
Recommended Citation
Halbert, Ella, "The Power of the Child’s-eye View: Reflections on Victor Erice’s El espíritu de la colmena and El Sur and Carla Simon’s Estiu 1993" (2023). Research Symposium. 14.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp/2023/presentations/14
Major
Biology; Hispanic Studies
Project Mentor(s)
Claire Solomon, Hispanic Studies
2023
The Power of the Child’s-eye View: Reflections on Victor Erice’s El espíritu de la colmena and El Sur and Carla Simon’s Estiu 1993
PANEL: Investigating Diverse Perspectives on Childhood Development and Social Identity
Wilder 101
The Franco dictatorship left an indelible mark on Spanish society. Those who lived during and after the conflicts were left with unresolved feelings and traumas that have been explored through countless art forms, including film. Two directors in particular, Victor Erice and Carla Simon, showcase what it was like to live through these events as children through their use of child protagonists in the films El espíritu de la colmena, El Sur, and Estiu 1993. In this project, I aim to explore how the use of child protagonists affects the storytelling and audience experience of watching a film. I argue that there are three main ways in which these films utilize their young protagonists to achieve a deeper impact on the audience: the “child’s-eye view”, the presence/absence of narration, and narrative parallels. Combined, these tools allow the audience to connect more fully with the embodied experience of living through these events and encourage the audience to approach difficult concepts with fierce curiosity, humility, empathy, and a childlike open mindedness.
