Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

I graduated my undergrad with a minor in Spanish. While the minor was, of course, focused on learning the language and becoming proficient in it, there was also a heavy focus on studying the culture of Hispanic countries. This minor prepared me for my trip to Spain in summer 2023 when I was studying abroad, where I was able to communicate with the locals and also understand more about the area that I was in. The first Spanish class I took at St. Bonaventure was Spanish literature in translation. This class was offered in English; we read works by Spanish authors that were translated and analyzed and discussed them and their cultural significance. 

One of my favorite classes I was able to take as a part of my minor was an advanced class on Spanish films. We watched Spanish films and discussed them. While English subtitles were allowed while you watched the film, all my notes for the class are in Spanish. This was a great chance for me to practice my fluency in the language while also exposing myself to Spanish films and the culture around them. Let’s talk about some of my favorites of the thirteen films that we watched.

“La misma luna”

If you’ve taken a Spanish class, you’ve probably watched “la misma luna”. I don’t know if it’s the plot that I enjoy or the nostalgia it provides as I think back to my high school Spanish class that first showed me this film. The film shows the very real experiences of undocumented immigrants in the United States, trying to provide for their families back home.

“Diarios de motocicleta” & “no” 

I’m putting “diarios de motocicleta” and “no” together because, while they are different films, they are both about Hispanic politics and feature Gael Garcia Bernal as the lead, so I think that my reasons for liking them are very similar. 

“Diarios de motocicleta” tells the true story of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara who played a key role in the Cuban revolution. Not knowing that going into the film, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. It became all the more interesting to me when, after watching, we discussed the dual sides to Che Guevara and why some portray him as a hero while others portray him as a villain. “Diarios de motocicleta” is an enjoyable film that leads to a nuanced and interesting discourse about a historical Hispanic figure.

“No” tells the story of the advertising campaign behind the “yes” and “no” sides leading up to the vote on whether or not to continue Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s reign in the country. The film shows how love and joy triumphs over fear and hatred.  

“Roma” 

There is a reason why “Roma” won best picture at the Oscars in 2019. It’s a beautiful film about a young indigenous woman’s experience as a live-in nanny for a well-off family in Mexico City. I also love that the film is in black and white. 

The next time you go to watch a movie, I hope that you consider one of my favorite Hispanic films. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! 

Natalie, or Nat as most know her, is a new member of Her Campus at SBU! This is her first year in the chapter, and she looks forward to using Her Campus as a way to express herself and rediscover her former love for writing. In May 2024, Natalie graduated with her bachelor's in history with minors in political science and Spanish from St. Bonaventure after three years. She is continuing her education and receiving her master's in adolescence education during what would be her senior year. As an undergrad, she was President of College Democrats, involved in University Ministries and held two jobs on campus. She is currently working as a graduate assistant with the student success center, teaching a FRES 100 class to 14 freshmen and meeting with them each week to help ensure their success in college. Outside of her professional career, Natalie enjoys anything that involves breakfast and coffee. She can talk anyone's ear off for hours on end, and frequently does so with her best friends. Her passions include anything to do with the city of Buffalo (go Bills), politics, her study abroad experience in Oxford, England and her early 2000s camcorder.