Andresa Casamayor: la mujer que soñaba con números

The Instituto Cervantes Manchester presents a new edition of its School Language Lab, led by teacher Ana Valbuena, specially designed for students preparing for GCSE or A-Level exams. These sessions offer pupils the opportunity to learn and practise Spanish through cinema in an engaging and educational environment.

This activity is part of the celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a global initiative that highlights the vital role of women in science and encourages young girls to pursue scientific careers, and the Language Fest North West.

Film: Andresa Casamayor: la mujer que soñaba con números (Spain, 2020 | Spanish with English subtitles)

Synopsis: Docudrama about the story of Andresa Casamayor, a mathematician from Zaragoza born 300 years ago, author of the first scientific work known to have been written by a woman in Spain. The National Library holds the only surviving copy of Tyrocinio Aritmético, a simple mathematics manual designed to teach the most basic operations to everyone. Andresa had to publish her first book under a male pseudonym, and her later works have been lost. Her life reflects the difficulties faced by women who wished to dedicate themselves to science throughout history.

The feature film uses a fictionalised narrative to tell the story of this brilliant self-taught woman and other figures of her time, the Enlightenment. In parallel, a distinguished group of scientists and historians provide essential insights into her life and the historical context in which she lived.