Thinking the theology-political script in contemporary Spain: the mortuary prosthesis in the Camino (Javier Fesser, 2008)

This article explores the mechanisms of subjectification that join Catholic theology and politics in contemporary Spain as presented in the film Camino (Javier Fesser, 2008). The theoretical reflection on and close reading of the film elaborate on the concept of 'mortuary prosthesis' in considering the over-determination of death. This determination of death is depicted by the repression of desire and the martyrdom of the film's protagonist, Camino. Drawing upon Foucault, Derrida, Nancy and Agamben, the 'mortuary prosthesis' accounts for the custody of the girl's body and her sacrifice, which culminates with the canonization of Camino's biography. By making Camino a part of a historical-theological telos, this canonization reinforces the onto-theological politics of the West. My reflection calls for an urgent discussion on death and its relationship with life and another politics beyond the hyphen that joins theology and politics.