Paul A. Schroeder Rodríguez, chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures, has published his second book, “Latin American Cinema: A Comparative History.”
The book, a 10-year labor of love, traces Latin America’s national cinemas through every major cinematic period in the region, from the silent period through the digital age.
“Latin American cinema is as diverse as the region itself,” said Schroeder Rodríguez, who was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the mainland at age 17 to attend Georgetown University.
Schroeder Rodríguez said he felt compelled to write the book after teaching Latin American cinema classes without the use of a comprehensive text. Now, that problem has been solved.
“It feels amazing to publish this book,” said Schroeder Rodríguez, who as taught at Northeastern for eight years. “My colleagues in the field have told me, ‘It’s about time someone wrote this book.’”
The cover of the book features a still from one of Schroeder Rodríguez’s favorite films, “Lucía,” a 1968 movie by Cuban filmmaker Humberto Solás. The film is set in three different historical periods that all feature a woman named Lucía as the protagonist.
Schroeder Rodríguez will begin promotions for the book with a brown bag and book party at 4:15 p.m. April 21 in the Pedroso Center on the Main Campus. The event will be moderated by Associate Professor Francisco X. Gaytán. The event is free and open to the public.
Schroeder Rodríguez published his first book, “Tomás Gutiérrez Alea: The Dialectics of a Filmmaker,” in 2002.
