Geocine is a Universidad Carlos III de Madrid research group who, from diverse disciplines, share a common interest in studying the relationship between geographic space and cinema.
As a response to the need to offer relevant content to Audiovisual Communication and Journalism students taking geography courses, Agustín Gámir and Carlos Manuel, both geographers, began to compile academic papers related to geographic content directly or indirectly depicted in fiction films. Given the scant academic references existing in this area, they delved into a line of research that, while notably represented in several European countries, the U.S. and Canada, had been little developed in Spain.
Subsequently joining the team was Víctor Aertsen, who holds a PhD in Audiovisual Communication, with an academic background in Information Technologies and the Humanities.
After carrying out two government-funded projects that enabled them to continue with these lines and research, Paula Bordonada and Patricia Montecino joined the team. The former, with an academic background in Audiovisual Communication, focuses her study on representation of the relationship between the individual and urban space in film, while the latter researcher is a geographer and specialist in geographic information systems.
The group has written numerous papers and articles for monographs, academic journals and conference presentations, in addition to creating video essays and cartographic products, in which they explore various aspects of the relationship between spaces and film.
At present, Geocine is immersed in two research projects, one state-funded, and the other funded by the Madrid Regional Government. In both of them, the group’s own distinctive methodology is being applied to movies as well as fiction series.
Agustín Gámir Orueta
Principal investigator
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
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He holds a PhD in Human Geography from Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). He has been a professor at UCM (1988-1992), the Universidad de Salamanca (1992-2001), and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (2001 to the present). While his initial investigations were within the framework of the services and transport sector in Spain, he has been focusing his research work on the relationship between Geography and Cinema for over a decade. He has coordinated and participated in four research projects on Cinema and Geography. He is author and coauthor of nearly 50 articles, of which 25 correspond to publications in scientific journals, including the monographic volume: Geografía y cine: la representación del espacio geográfico en las producciones occidentales.
agamir@hum.uc3m.es
Carlos Manuel Valdés
Principal investigator
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
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Holding a PhD in Regional Geographic Analysis (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 1993), he has been Associate Professor at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid since 1998. His lines of research have focused on the history and the geography of Spanish forests and on landscape analysis. During the past twelve years, he has centered his research activity on the relationships between Geography and Cinema. He is author and coauthor of more than 40 publications, including several books. He has been Secretary of the Spanish Geographical Association (2007-2011), UC3M Vice Dean of the School of Humanities (2010-2018) and has been UC3M Vice Dean of Equality, Cultural Activities and Project Coordination since 2018. Currently he is President of the Spanish Professional Geographers Association.
cmanuel@hum.uc3m.es
Víctor Aertsen
Researcher
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
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He holds a PhD in Media Research from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, a Bachelor’s degree in Audiovisual Communication (UC3M) and in Humanities (UC3M), and is a technical engineer in IT Systems (Universidad de Granada). His research has focused on audiovisual esthetics, narratives and geopolitics. He has formed part of the GeoCine research group since 2009, participating as a researcher and digital developer in diverse projects focused on the relationship between Geography and Cinema. Currently he is Assistant Professor at UC3M and technology specialist in the City of Madrid Film Office.
vic.aertsen@gmail.com
Paula Bordonada Tosao
Researcher
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
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She is a doctoral student in Media Research, holding a University Master’s in Media, and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) as well as an undergraduate degree in Photography from EFTI (Center for Photography and Cinema). She has worked as a film critic in different specialized journals and as cultural manager at the Filmoteca Española. She has been a member of the Geocine research group since 2017. At present, she is working on her doctoral thesis, Habitar la ciudad en el cine español filmado en Madrid (2000-2019) (Inhabiting the city in Spanish movies shot in Madrid 2000-2019).
pbordona@pa.uc3m.es
Patricia Montecino Huedo
Researcher
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
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She holds a University Master’s degree in Geographic Information Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and Spatial Planning (Universidad Complutense de Madrid). She has a specialization in spatial data analysis and processing as well as in operation of GIS tools. She carried out her master’s professional internship at the Ciemat (Research Center for Energy, Environment and Technology), undertaking her thesis on Geographic Information Systems and renewable energies.
pmonteci@pa.uc3m.es
Acknowledgements
GeoCine’s group members wish to express their thanks to the following for their help and assistance:Alberto Autiero
Ana Francisca Azevedo
Ana Mejón
Asier Aranzubia
Borja Soler
Farshad Zahedi
Federico Manzarbeitia
Fernando León de Aranoa
Gillian Gómez Mediavilla
Guillermo-Sven Reher Díez
Isabel del Río
José Manuel Palacio Arranz
Juan Alonso Gámir
Juan Luis Velázquez
Liliana Melgar
Lourdes Arranz
Luis Cemillán
Luis Herrero
Llanos Masiá González
Mar Estellés
María Ramón
Marta Comas
Montse Huguet
Nieves López Estébanez
Paco López Hernández
Paloma Ramos
Paula Saavedra
Pilar de Heras
Rafael Mata Olmo
Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Samuel Castro
Tamara Moya