The grandchildren of Franco: examining the function of the agentic child seer in contemporary Spanish horror

Haigh, Gemma Symone (2024). The grandchildren of Franco: examining the function of the agentic child seer in contemporary Spanish horror. University of Birmingham. M.A.

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Abstract

There is a long-standing tradition in Spanish cinema of children facing horror. To the extent that the genre of Spanish horror film foregrounds the trope of the watchful child, many horror films employ a haunting narrative which becomes the ideal vehicle for exploring and exorcising that which haunts Spanish society. Yet, as this thesis will examine, far from being a helpless victim, a passive cypher for the future, or a demonic antagonist, the child protagonist in contemporary Spanish horror cinema is an active agent, drawing power and agency from their all-seeing gaze. Consequently, this thesis will demonstrate how the children in each case study are actively looking subjects, who through their status as “other” are able to act as communicators with the supernatural and ultimately bring about justice for the dead who have been wronged. This thesis therefore responds to the current situation in Spain, which is finally making progress in the recuperation of traumatic memory with regards to the Spanish Civil War and the ensuing fascist dictatorship. The objective of this thesis is to subject key horror films to contextual, comparative, and textual analysis in order to argue that the child in each film represents a generation - the grandchildren of Franco - that is sufficiently removed from the initial trauma of the Civil War and the dictatorship to finally enact justice for their ancestors. The environment and family that a child is brought up in significantly influences a child’s development, therefore this thesis will also pay close attention to the family dwelling in each case study, and the guardians of each agentic child.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.A.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.A.

Supervisor(s):