The Representation of Women’s Sexuality in Mexican Film from 1991-2001
Date
2024
Authors
Lee, Kaila
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Victoria
Abstract
As more female directors started to gain traction in Mexican film in the 1980’s, 1990’s, and 2000’s, they finally had more of a platform to redefine and reshape how women were portrayed in film. More specifically, this opened up more possibilities to challenge how women’s sexuality was viewed by creating characters who challenged the stereotypical female characters that had traditionally been most prominent. This research explores the representation of women, and more precisely, their sexuality, in Mexican film. I do this by examining these portrayals using the famous Bechdel test, created as a way to measure women’s representation in film and if the film can be considered a “feminist film”. Additionally I deepen my analysis by seeing if there is a correlation between the gender of the director and the depth a female character is given. This project concludes by critiquing the use of the Bechdel test as it lacks any criteria that goes beyond the surface level into the meaning and depth of the film and its characters.
Description
Keywords
film, Mexico, representation, Bechdel test, sexuality