Filmmakers and producers in socialist countries have always been involved in the discussion of the cinematic form that better suits a popular cinema and its distinction from art house cinema. This panel seeks papers which explore the theory and practice of socialist cinema from Eisenstein through Cinema Novo to contemporary cinema promoted by 21st century socialist governments such as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. While all these agents advocate a truly national cinema for the people, there is no agreement as to what the exact definition of popular/populist cinema is and the role of cinematic experimentation in shaping a political relationship between film and spectators. Earlier discussions in this direction sustained between Rocha and Godard or Carlos Diegues and Rui Guerra perfectly illustrate this debate and may be still influencing the way revolutionary cinema is conceived nowadays.
Proposals are welcome on topics that include, but are not limited to the following:
- materialization of socialist principles in cinema
- legacy of socialist filmmaking in contemporary practices
- Latin American 21st century filmmaking
- Third Cinema
- Populist Cinema
Please send a 300 word abstract along with a bibliography and a brief bio as a Word attachment to mercedes@hku.hk no later than August 20. Submitters will be notified whether their proposals have been accepted for the panel by August 25. For more details on the Conference, please visit the SCMS website: http://www.cmstudies.org/