[Commlist] CFP Reminder: Celine Sciamma symposium

*May 6th 2020*
*Keynote Speaker: *Professor Emma Wilson, University of Cambridge

The premiere of /Portrait of a Lady on Fire /at the 2019 Cannes Film 
Festival confirmed director and screenwriter, Céline Sciamma, as one of 
the foremost voices in contemporary French cinema. In its exploration of 
the filmic gaze, and portrayal of an intense relationship between three 
women, this period drama displays many of Sciamma’s signature 
preoccupations. But Sciamma is mostly associated with youth cinema, and 
her first three films, /Water Lilies /(/Naissance des Pieuvres/, 2007), 
/Tomboy/ (2011) and /Girlhood /(/Bande de Filles/, 2014) – often 
considered as a trilogy – develop innovative coming-of-age narratives, 
which provide complex and thought-provoking perspectives on girlhood. 
Her sustained focus on female homosocial bonds has enabled her to 
construct nuanced representations of intersectional identity formation 
addressing aspects of gender fluidity, sexual awakening, queer 
sexuality, social class, race and ethnicity. Further to her directorial 
oeuvre, Sciamma has also written screenplays for hugely acclaimed films, 
such as /Being 17 /(André Techiné, 2016) and the stop-motion animation, 
/My Life as a Courgette /(Claude Barras, 2017)/./

So far in her career Sciamma has become known for her bold filmmaking 
choices, which have often incited productive and passionate 
conversations about culture and society, as well as for her involvement 
in current movements (i.e. /5050 by 2020/) and protests that demand 
gender equality in the film industry. As a self-identifying feminist 
activist Céline Sciamma is a significant force in contemporary French 
and international cinema alike. This symposium provides the opportunity 
to bring together scholars to share ideas on different ways of thinking 
about and discussing her work.

Papers are especially welcome on, but not limited to, the following areas:

  * Coming of age in Sciamma’s films
  * Girls, sisters and girlhood
  * Queer identities
  * Whiteness and the racial politics of Sciamma’s films
  * Sciamma and contemporary debates in film authorship and feminism
  * Sciamma and global art cinema
  * Analyses of particular films: /Water Lilies, Tomboy, Girlhood,
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire/
  * the importance of the body, sports and dance
  * the sense of touch and the haptic dimension of Sciamma’s films
  * Sciamma and children’s cinema
  * Sciamma’s casting choices: from /casting sauvage /to recurring stars
  * Sciamma’s screenwriting for /My Life as a Courgette /(Barras,
    2017)/,/ /Being 17 /(Techiné, 2016), and for TV show /The Returned
    /(/Les Revenants/, 2012-2015)/. /

Proposals of no more than 250 words, for 20-minute papers should be sent 
to Dr Frances Smith ((frances.smith /at/ sussex.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(frances.smith /at/ sussex.ac.uk)>) and Dr Despoina 
Mantziari ((d.mantziari /at/ sussex.ac.uk) <mailto:(d.mantziari /at/ sussex.ac.uk)>) 
by January 31st 2020.

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