[Commlist] Call for Abstracts: Screening the Scene: Rethinking European film competitiveness International Conference

Call for Abstracts: *Screening the Scene: Rethinking European film 
competitiveness*
Conference Dates: 9 and 10 October 2025
Location: Department of Communication, University of Vienna
Deadline for Abstract Submission: on a rolling basis until July 30, 2025
Notifications: on a rolling basis according to submission date

We are inviting  scholars, practitioners, policymakers, creatives, and 
industry stakeholders to submit abstracts  for the REBOOT Conference, a 
two-day, no entry-fee event dedicated to critically reflecting on and 
advancing the future of the European film industry.
 *Conference Theme*

The European film industry stands at a critical juncture, shaped by 
shifting technologies, evolving societal demands, global political 
changes and the need for more inclusive and adaptive institutional 
frameworks. Under the theme “Screening the Scene: Rethinking European 
film competitiveness”, this conference seeks to explore innovative 
strategies and fresh perspectives that can reinvigorate the industry for 
a sustainable, equitable, and competitive future.

As streaming platforms challenge traditional distribution, AI reshapes 
storytelling and production processes, and as underrepresented 
communities continue to push for visibility and participation, the 
question is no longer whether the European film industry must adapt, but 
how, and who gets to lead the change.
Rebooting the industry requires an intersectional approach, one that 
considers the dynamic role of people (creators, audiences, and different 
groups), technological innovation (AI, digital platforms, XR), and 
institutions (festivals, funding bodies, policy frameworks). This 
conference will be a space for critical exchange, bold ideas, and 
collaborative futures.
 We welcome contributions that address, but are not limited to, the 
following themes:
- What is film industry competitiveness? - European policy/legal 
frameworks concerning the European film industry (e.g. copyright law, 
public support and European funding frameworks, media/entertainment law, 
platform regulation and content moderation, protection of minors)
- The role of children & youth for the European film industry as 
creators and audiences.
- Bringing overlooked European films into the spotlight (e.g. 
alternative film festivals, alternative film modes of film production, 
collectives, centre vs. periphery in European film industries)
- European distribution & new technology (e.g. streaming platforms and 
digital disruption)
- Innovative storytelling (e.g. AI/VR/XR, interactive formats)
- The interplay of generative AI and filmmaking (e.g. working conditions 
of creative workers, AI and ethical creativity, AI literacy and cultural 
industries)
- Representation and inclusion in the European film industry
- New narratives by women, youth, diaspora, and intersectional identities
- Gender and the European screen industries
- European film festivals as spaces of resistance and cultural diversity
- Training, access, and equity in the European film workforce
- Governance, sustainability and democratic participation in the 
audiovisual sector    *Submission Guidelines*
Abstracts (300-400 words) should be accompanied by a short bio (max. 100 
words each).
 Panel proposals (ca. 60 minutes) must include a panel title, brief 
rationale (max. 300 words), and details of 3-4 speakers.
 Abstracts must be submitted via the following link: 
https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/79051/submitter
Panel proposals must be submitted via email: (info /at/ thereboot-project.eu)
 Registration opens on June 30, 2025
 Please note, as this is a free to attend event, we have limited 
places; if we have enough interest in a hybrid format, we will open this 
event to online participation.

Join us as we bring the REBOOT project to a powerful close through 
dialogue, debate, and vision-building. Let’s collectively shape the next 
chapter of Europe’s film and audiovisual future.
 The REBOOT project has received funding from the European Union’s 
Horizon research and innovation programme under grant agreement 101094796.

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