UC Davis

This dissertation analyzes the evolution of lesbian representation in recent Spanish cinema, transitioning from the male gaze and the (in)visibility of lesbianism to the lesbian gaze using an intersectional perspective. Through a detailed analysis of selected films, this dissertation explores the lesbian gaze and defines its characteristics. For this reason, I propose five modes of representation: deviation, condemnation or punishment, assimilation, identification, and integration, which are related to global cinema trends and the specific circumstances of Spanish society. The objective of this dissertation is not only to examine Spanish lesbian cinema and identify recurrent themes, but more significantly, establishes a genealogy of lesbian cinema by analyzing the strategies used. Moreover, this project investigates how the sociocultural context has influenced its representation and compare it with international trends in lesbian-themed cinema. By highlighting and analyzing the films that are part of my corpus, I shed light on the importance of a diversity in lesbian representation and its impact on the self-acceptance and empowerment of LGBTQ+ people. This research aims to contribute to the academic discussion on the evolution and diversity of Spanish lesbian cinema and how this film production responds to the concerns of feminist criticism regarding the male gaze and spectatorial identification in cinema. While revisiting the history of lesbian representation in Spanish cinema from the Transition to Democracy to the last decade of the 21st century, I draw connections between the reality of these films and the social context that surrounds them. I examine the gaze in films such as Costa Brava (1995) and Sévigné (2004), by Marta Balletbó-Coll; A mi madre le gustan las mujeres (2001), by París& Féjérman; En 80 días (2010) by Garaño & Goenaga; Carmen y Lola (2018), by Arantxa Echevarría; and Elisa y Marcela (2019), by Isabel Coixet. The purpose is to see if they manage to activate the lesbian gaze through haptic visuality, rather than optical visuality. I will show how the lesbian gaze interprets the specificity of lesbian desire and what techniques or strategies are activated in lesbian-themed films in Spain. Key questions raised about how lesbianism is perceived in Spanish society include: What kind of representations are being carried out on the big screen at a time when lesbianism is more visible than ever? What are the (new) tropes being used? Do these representations convey lesbian diversity in the country? Is Spain aligned with global trends in lesbian cinema? And, most importantly, is there a lesbian gaze in Spanish cinema? My contribution to studies on lesbian cinema consists precisely in inserting these past and, above all, recent productions into a continuum, establishing a genealogy that aims to define the current state of lesbian cinema in Spain.