Black Film British Cinema Conference 2017
The Politics of Race in Contemporary Film and Digital Practice, 18-19 May 2017. Goldsmiths, University of London (Day One) and Institute of Contemporary Arts (Day Two)
Whether we consider the rise of the concept of diversity, the on-screen representation of identities, the off-screen workforce, the production trends of film institutions, new forms of independent production opened up by new media, or film education & talent development, questions of race & ethnicity remain central to contemporary British film. This conference will mark nearly 30 years since the original Black Film, British Cinema conference at the ICA & its subsequent publication, which has been a huge influence on scholars exploring race, culture & the politics of representation. Some of its core thinking by Kobena Mercer, Stuart Hall, Paul Gilroy & others remains an excellent point to consider what has, and has not, become of black & Asian film & TV production in the UK
The aim of this two-day conference is to consider the politics of race in contemporary British cinema & visual practice & reflect on almost 30 years of black film production vis-a-vis the institutional, technological, textual, cultural & political shifts that have occurred during this period. We invite scholars, early career researchers, postgraduate students & practitioners working at the intersection of film, TV, Moving Image, Media & Communication studies, Sociology, Politics & Cultural Studies. We would encourage contributors to reflect on themes, challenges & questions central to race & British film in terms of governance, production, representation, exhibition and spectatorship. These include but are not limited to:
The politics of representation in contemporary film & digital practice
The representation/politics of race in new digital platforms
Understandings of ‘Black film’ in the context of recent social, political & cultural change
The politics of gender & sexuality and intersectional approaches to black and Asian film & visual practice
The cultural, geographical & political contexts of black & Asian film production
Methodologies for understanding contemporary film, representation & access.
The relevance & cohesiveness of ‘black’ as an ethnic category in film production, policy & criticism
Higher Education, film studies & race, & approaches to Black film pedagogy
Speakers:
Professor Sarita Malik, Brunel University, Dr Kara Keeling, University of Southern California, June Givanni, Pan African Cinema Archives, Chi Onwurah MP, Ruth Caleb OBE, Former Head of BBC Drama Group/Film and TV Producer, Gill Henderson, Former Chief Executive of London Film & Video Development Agency, Matimba Kabalika, BFI
Abstract Deadlines & Submission: 10th February 2017
Please submit proposals for 15 minute papers to bfbc2017@greenwich.ac.uk
The submission should include the following: title & name, institutional affiliation & address, & email address, together with a paper title & abstract of not more than 300 words.
Conference Organisers: Dr Anamik Saha (Goldsmiths), Dr Clive James Nwonka (University of Greenwich)