In this episode of U-M Creative Currents, host Mark Clague sits down with historian and professor Colin Gunckel from the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Gunckel is a faculty member in both the Program in American Culture and the Department of Film, Television, and Media (FTVM), where he also serves as department chair.

Colin shares insights from his extensive experience teaching film and media studies. As a historian specializing in Latinx media and art, Latin American cinema, and popular culture linking the U.S. and Mexico, he brings a rich transnational perspective to his work. His book Mexico on Main Street: Transnational Film Culture in Los Angeles before World War II (Rutgers University Press, 2015) explores the relationship between Mexican audiences, the rise of Hollywood, and the development of Mexican cinema.

This fall, students across U-M will collaborate with internationally acclaimed performer and filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell—visiting faculty in LSA’s FTVM Department—through the Arts Initiative’s Student Creative Fellowship program. Their work will culminate in a public showcase on November 16.

Additional Show Links:

• FTVM Full Calendar of Events
• John Cameron Mitchell – Fall 2025, Visiting Professor, Writer, Director, Performer
• Michigan Theatre Free Showings on Mondays at 10 a.m.
• New Course: FTVM 368.002 – Queer and Trans Gaming

Related episodes:

• The Arts on Screen: How film shapes student life at U-M with Lauren Horne
• Discussing Disfluency with Anna Baumgarten & Danny Mooney

*Production Note: This episode is part of U-M Creative Currents' special Michigan Arts Festival podcast series and is edited by Sly Pup Productions.

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• Checkout our website
• Learn more about the Michigan Arts Festival