Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Genesis Portillo, Spanish
Document Type
Poster
Event Date
4-17-2026
Abstract
Female Latin American authors have been studied from various perspectives, mainly based on their roles in society and their representation in literature. This project had two major goals: to produce an academic paper on Chilean film 1976 and to create a database of fiction — written and filmic— produced in the 21st century. The research paper The Dictatorship Aura: Layers and Soundscapes in Chile 1976 (2022) is in the process of incorporating reviewers’ feedback and it has pointed to various relevant hypotheses. Notably, Chilean cinema seems to be going through a paradigm shift. Whereas film directors used to overemphasize the internal struggles of characters in their movies, some, such as Manuella Martelli, are breaking the technical boundaries of filmic frames to emphasize the narrative power of sound. Her work in 1976 demands active spectators that both see and listen attentively while maintaining awareness of a historical context at which she only succinctly hints, the Pinochet dictatorship. This detail is also critical for comprehending a new generation of filmmakers who create and direct following a diaspora that fundamentally diverges from the one resulting from the aforementioned dictatorship, evident in a distinct directorial approach. Regarding the database, the main priority was to search for 21st century rising authors of fiction in written and filmic media. Priority was given to the Southern Cone, as it is, aesthetically, the most problematized by Latin American studies. However, our research showed that female authors, especially their early works, have not received much attention. As a result, a work on Fernanda Trías’ early short story and the questions of authorship will be published. From a very early stage, it can be posited that female authors have a clear intentionality of creating a literary network distinct from traditional Latin American literature.
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Rumble, Layla, "Layers and Ambiance: Latin American Female Perspectives in the Early 21st Century" (2026). 25th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2026). Paper 21.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/curca_25/21
April 17, 2026. Copyright © 2026 Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
Comments
This research was supported by the Arts and Humanities Fund for Student Research and Creative Performance.