Department of Media and Audio-Visual Culture, University of Lodz announces its CALL FOR PAPERS for International Conference REDISCOVERING POLISH CINEMA: HISTORY – IDEOLOGY – POLITICS to be held 23-25 October 2006 in Łódź (Poland).
Various transformations in the social and cultural landscape have been reshaping the way Polish cinema is understood, yet still there is little clarity about its position within the area of politics and ideology. The central theme of the conference addresses issues arising from these complex relations in both the past and the present of Polish cinema.
The aim of the conference is to inspire incite dialogues, strengthen research networks centered on the subject, and provide an opportunity for scholars and students from all parts of the world to meet and debate on the following topics:
- the role of cinema in the public sphere
- representations of history – the uses of the past to define/transform collective memory
- propaganda in newsreels and broadcast media
- reframing “auteur cinema” in terms of its relationship towards politics
- the role of autobiography as a narrative strategy
- the influence of government sponsorship on production and distribution
- state censorship – subordination and dissent
- cinema as a tool for constructing and solidifying (or unmasking and undermining) the claims of dominant ideologies
- religion and spirituality as repressed issues
- class and gender identities
- stereotypic images of other nations and ethnic minorities
- marginalized or under-represented viewpoints and experiences
- strategies of discord in Polish avant-garde and amateur cinema
- the growing recognition of diverse audience cultures and subcultures
- cultural and political tensions within the contemporary society as viewed by Polish filmmakers
- a critical revision of existing accounts of Polish cinema
We encourage contributions from participants representing various theoretical, philosophical and political approaches. Papers comparing Polish cinema with case studies from other regions of East and Central Europe are also welcome.
Location
The conference will be held at the University of Lodz, The Biedermann Palace (ul. Franciszkanska 1/5, Lodz; http://free.art.pl/ktltf). The nearby Conference Centre (ul. Kopcinskiego 16/18; http://www.csk.uni.lodz.pl) provides accommodation. There is a direct airway from London to Łódź
The conference has been organized with a financial support of The City of Lodz Office