International Perspectives on Australian Film and Television Symposium and a Mini Film Festival

Monash University Prato Campus, 8-11 July 2012.

Convened by School of English, Communications and Performance Studies and the National Centre for Australian Studies.

This interdisciplinary event brings scholars at Monash University in Australian film and television studies (Therese Davis, Olivia Khoo, Belinda Smaill) and Australian cultural studies (Tony Moore, Mark Gibson, Liz Conor) together with an invited group of leading international Australian cultural studies scholars - Meaghan Morris (Sydney University), Graham Turner (University of Queensland) and Chris Healy (Melbourne University) - to discuss international aspects of Australian film and television. Recent responses to what Ben Goldsmith has called “the international turn” in Australian film and television have tended to focus on issues of industry practices and economics. The aim of this event is to supplement that work by developing new historical and cultural critical frameworks for analysing transnational relations in Australian screen content and the inter-cultural interactions of its production and reception.

The event comprises a one-and-a-half day mini film festival that spotlights international aspects of Australian film. Invited guests will introduce featured films, including a public lecture by Professor Meaghan Morris on the opening evening of the festival. The festival will be followed by a one-day symposium and a half-day research workshop.

Call for papers for the one-day symposium:

We are calling for offers of papers for the one-day symposium (with approximately twelve speakers). Each speaker will contribute a 3-4,000 word pre-circulated paper to be discussed within a research dialogue scenario - a round table - with a limited number of observers taking part in the discussion as well. Speakers will also be invited to participate in a half-day research workshop on developing large collaborative grants, led by Professor Graham Turner. Topics for research papers will include (but are not limited to): theories of post nationalism and transnational cinema; case studies in the international reception of Australian screen media; film/TV content produced in Australia by non-Australian filmmakers or TV producers; cultural analysis of international co-productions; international collections of Australian screen content; Australian film and international film festivals; international reception of Australian Indigenous media; Asian-Australian film and TV; spectatorship; film and post colonialism; international images/narratives/reception of Australian foreign policy issues, such as Tampa, Afghanistan and, most recently, offshore processing.

Expected outcomes: Publication of research papers as a special issue of a highly ranked journal such as Continuum (to be confirmed), an edited book collection and development of collaborative grants.

If you are interested in participating in this research event, please send a 400 word abstract and short bio to event conveners by 30 January 2012.

Event Conveners:

Dr Therese Davis, Therese.Davis@monash.edu.au

Dr Tony Moore, Tony.Moore@monash.edu.au