Emotions on Screen. From Visual Language to Emotional and Cultural Experience in Spanish as a Foreign Language

Abstract

This article analyzes the effects of working with audiovisual infographics created by university students about the film Pan’s Labyrinth to explore how cultural representation, historical memory, and affectivity are articulated in the Spanish as a Foreign Language classroom. Drawing on affect theory and multiliteracies frameworks, it examines how students engaged with cultural and historical references from the Spanish-speaking world, expressed emotions, and constructed meaning by working with text, image, and sound in an integrated way. The results show that these infographics foster a space for critical reflection where historical memory, affectivity, and creativity converge. The use of multimodal resources is observed to enhance students’ emotional engagement and promote more critical learning. The study provides evidence of the pedagogical value of creative multimodal practices in foreign language education and of their potential to generate meaningful learning experiences.