Horror, fairy tales, and politics intertwine in a narrative rooted in Chilean history that reveals a profound political commentary through film in The Wolf House. An observational analysis of the film, written by UWinnipeg Mitacs Globalink Intern, Julián David Saldarriaga Cardona, was published in Brumal, an online journal.
Entitled Abjection and metamorphosis in the aesthetics of stop-motion horror in “The Wolf House”, Cardona’s work analyzes the Chilean film focusing on how it uses abjection, metamorphosis, and stop-motion animation to convey powerful political messages about the real-life case of Colonia Dignidad.
Working with Dr. Greenhill was a major highlight. Her knowledge of horror, folklore, and fairy tales, which are key themes in the film, added so much to the research.
Julián David Saldarriaga Cardona
Colonia Dignidad was an isolated religious colony in Chile, created by German immigrants in the ’60s, infamous for human rights abuses and linked to the brutal Pinochet regime.
Cardona worked with Mitacs faculty advisor, Dr. Pauline Greenhill, a fairy-tale expert and a professor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies at UWinnipeg.
Originally from Medellín, Colombia, Cardona self describes as a geek for speculative fiction—genres like horror and fantasy are a big part of their life. Their love for horror and fantasy led them to explore these themes academically.
Cardona found the Mitacs internship offered a perfect opportunity to combine these interests, allowing them to focus on research in an area they are passionate about while working with internationally prominent fairy-tale scholar Dr. Greenhill.
“Working with Dr. Greenhill was a major highlight,” shared Cardona. “Her knowledge of horror, folklore, and fairy tales, which are key themes in the film, added so much to the research.”
During their internship they attended the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Gimli International Film Festival (GIFF). “They were amazing opportunities to see new works and network with industry professionals thanks to the Mitacs internship.”
Cardona, who returned to Colombia to complete their degree in audiovisual and multimedia communication at Universidad de Antioquia, was already familiar with Winnipeg thanks to their admiration for internationally acclaimed filmmaker and UWinnipeg Distinguished Alum, Guy Maddin.
“I was very intrigued by the city before coming as a Guy Maddin fan,” shared Cardona. “And having my research develop throughout the internship, with all the benefits, was so fulfilling.”
As a faculty advisor, Dr. Greenhill has enjoyed working with outstanding international students from universities in China, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, India, the US, and Colombia.
“Most of the Mitacs interns are headed to graduate or professional schools, and the internship gives them an opportunity to develop their own focused research,” said Dr. Greenhill. “Since the interns also come from a variety of academic backgrounds, I benefit from their knowledge and cultural perspectives.”
Dr. Greenhill also said that two other Mitacs Globalink Interns have successfully published results from their research with her.
The Mitacs Globalink Internship Program brings students from all over the world to Canada during the summer to experience research with Canadian faculty at participating universities.
Mitacs funding and opportunity
UWinnipeg has surpassed $850,000 in Mitacs internships, allowing undergraduate and graduate students to do research across disciplines during the 2023-24 academic year. This funding grants students, like Cardona, the opportunity to take part in research and build their networks, all while receiving on-the-job-training in the private and non-profit sectors in their field of study.
More than 75 students, both from UWinnipeg and international institutions, participated in Mitacs internships in several programs, including the Accelerate program, Globalink Research Internships, Business Strategy Internship (BSI) programs, and in various training and professional development programs.
The UWinnipeg Research Office encourages interested partners, students, and faculty to please contact Dr. Zsuzsa Papp zpapp@mitacs.ca for more information regarding any Mitacs funding opportunities.
