Hispanidad

Language: Spanish

Noun used to refer to the perceived common identity of Spanish-speaking (i.e. Hispanic) community and, as such, different from 'españolidad' (Spanishness), which would be limited to the identity of Spaniards. As any notion of identity, it is, of course, highly contested, particularly as it carries with it a long history of imperialistic—even racist—associations. The term was widely used in political and in cultural discourses during the Francoist regime (1939-1975) in Spain, as a vehicle to convey the dictator's views that Spain's duty was to regain the leading role of its so-called "glorious" days of colonial rule in the Americas. The 'Día de la Hispanidad' became an iconic, national feast-day during the Franco regime, and it is still celebrated on October 12th in countries across the Hispanic world, with varying degrees of visibility. Though controverted, the term 'Hispanidad' is still widely used and, for many people today, it carries a mostly benign meaning, close to 'the sisterhood of all the Spanish-speaking nations'.

Example film: Flores de otro mundo / Flowers from Another World

References:

De Garay, Luis. 1944. 'Acotaciones. Perspectivas para el cine español en América', Primer plano, V, 218, 17 december, n/p.

Santaolalla, Isabel. 2007. 'La "hispanización" del cine español', in Miradas glocales. Cine español en el cambio de milenio, eds. Burkhard Pohl and Jörg Türschmann. Madrid: Iberoamericana; Frankfurt am Main: Vervuert; pp. 141-54.

De España, Rafael. 1992. 'España y América: 500 años de Historia a través del Cine', Film Historia, II, 3: 189-219.

Pastor Martín, Ernesto J. 2001. 'Babelismo en el cine panhispánico', Academia, 73, november: 6-7.

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