Archive for March 2024

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[Commlist] cfp: ‘Genre and Nation: British and Australian cinema, 1960 –now’ Conference

Mon Mar 18 19:04:18 GMT 2024





*‘Genre and Nation: British and Australian cinema, 1960 – now’ Conference*

*5-7 September 2024*

**

*Leeds School of Arts, Leeds Beckett University, UK*

**

Despite the brutal, colonial origins of Australian settlement, and the ongoing consequences for Indigenous people, an enduring connection between Britain and Australia remains. As Rolfe (2022) argues, until the 1960s, Australians incorporated a dual identity as both Australians and Britons, and although American influence has grown since then– the British/Australian relationship persists and has been widely explored in screen media.

A fruitful co-production treaty between Britain and Australia has been in place since 1990, seeing a diverse range of projects from documentary, feature film, and television released. And yet, while British cinema has flourished due to a range of distinctive film funding options, since the ‘professionalisation’ of the Australian film industry and establishment of government administered film funding bodies from 1970 onwards, the Australian film industry has been widely regarded as oscillating between ‘boom or bust’ (Stratton, 1990). The release of /Not Quite Hollywood/ (2008), a documentary exploring the period of unabated production of genre films in Australia during the 1970s-1980s (known as ‘Ozploitation’ films) exposed Australian genre films to a new audience. Despite these differing fortunes, both the Australian and British film (and television) industries have struggled to adapt to changing models of content production driven by the dominance of streaming services. In Australia, the dominance of streaming aggregators has led to impending regulation of streaming service to prioritise the protection of Australian productions, as a means of connection to imagined, shared Australian identity. Similar laws in the UK have resulted in an increase in investment from Netflix. While viewers are now spoiled for choice, the boom in streaming services has also led to the emergence of services catering to specific, niche (genre) tastes.

While Australian genre films routinely receive less funding and critical praise domestically, there have been numerous breakthroughs, particularly in the horror genre, from /Wolf Creek /(2005), to /The Babadook/ (2014), to /Talk to Me/ (2022). Although it benefits from higher budgets, British cinema is also renowned for successful romantic comedies, costume dramas, and gritty action films, with a resurgence of horror films – and horror subgenres such as so-called ‘hoodie horrors’, exemplified by /Eden Lake/ (2008)

Beyond broad appeal, genre films often play an important role in communicating and subverting dominant messages regarding the political climate, race, class, and the national identity of nations. The re-emergence of legendary British horror studios Hammer and Amicus suggest that demand for genre films remains strong, while Australian genre films, as Ryan (2012) argues, continue to occupy a ‘a difficult position’ within Australian cinema culture, including the recurring debate of the purpose of the small-scale industry, and whether it’s focus ought to be on ‘culture or commerce’.

This conference aims to explore the shared concerns of British and Australian film through the often-overlooked depth of genre film. While we welcome all proposals related to British and Australian genre film, topics might include:

-connections between British and Australian genre films

-British/Australian co-productions

-film funding and industry

-Indigenous cinema and genre

-significant film anniversaries

-diversity and representation in genre films

-stardom, celebrity, and genre film

-genre film futures

Please submit a 250 word abstract, and 50 word biography, including your name, affiliation, and contact email address to: (genreandnationconference /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(genreandnationconference /at/ gmail.com)> by 15 May 2024.

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