NURSING HOMES IN CINEMA. IMAGINARIES AND FILM REPRESENATTIONS OF NURSING HOME LIFE

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyse the cinematographic representation of nursing homes. We employ the comparative hermeneutic method to analyse four Spanish-language films released between 2010 and 2020: Arrugas, El agente topo, La plaga and Quien a hierro mata. The analysis of results is based on a thematic analysis, done through categorization and identification of recurring themes in the plots that we analyse using approaches from sociology and social gerontology. We argue that the representation of nursing homes in these films entails, to different degrees, opposing tendencies towards the reproduction and problematization of stigmatizing imaginaries typical of the nursing home specter. On the one hand, the narratives favour the reproduction of an imaginary that associates nursing homes with abandonment, loneliness and poor care, reinforcing the ideal of family care that characterizes Spanish society. On the other hand, we identified scenes that show the potential of cinema to problematize stereotypes and deepen the understanding of complex realities. These cinematographic imaginaries become more relevant in the current context of rethinking the residential model.