[Commlist] CFP: ReFocus: The Films of Gregg Araki

CFP: ReFocus: The Films of Gregg Araki


Producer, director, and screenwriter Gregg Araki is a pivotal figure in 
independent film, known for his distinctive style and contributions to 
New Queer Cinema. Despite his inclusion in such cinematic movement 
thanks to /The Living End/ (1992), and his rise to fame with the /Teen 
Apocalypse Trilogy/ (1993-1997), Araki's explorations of a more 
mainstream style and his incursions in television directing have 
garnered little critical and academic attention, except for his 2004 
adaptation of the novel /Mysterious Skin/ and his win of the first ever 
Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm in 2010 for his film /Kaboom/. Yet, 
Araki's vibrant and provocative oeuvre portrays contemporary youth 
culture, identity, sexuality, and subversion while exploring the legacy 
of shoegaze and indie music in each soundtrack.

Although Araki's work shares an interest in sexuality with fellow New 
Queer Cinema directors Todd Haynes and Gus Van Sant, it also refers to 
previous queer filmmakers such as the camp and exaggerations of John 
Waters or Andy Warhol's pop aesthetics. Internationally, Araki’ diverse 
portfolio of techniques and themes connects him to the sensibility of 
Xavier Dolan and showcases his ability to jump from grittier cinema to 
the polished and stylized filmmaking of Pedro Almodovar. He has 
commonalities in themes with other fellow U.S. directors, like Richard 
Linklater's exploration of alienated youth or the nihilism and 
avant-garde filmmaking of Harmony Korine. Even so, Araki has maintained 
a distinctive point of view that makes him unique, and his catalog a 
perfect site for the exploration of dissidence in cinema.

This CFP is soliciting abstracts of approximately 250—300 words for 
chapters to be included in a book-length anthology on Gregg Araki. This 
anthology will be the first exploration of Araki’s entire body of 
work—including his early cult movies, label as a queer filmmaker, and 
television work—deepening our understanding of his position in 
contemporary cinema and the legacy of his work. Essays may focus on 
individual pieces or on themes and topics that permeate Araki’s body of 
work.

Possible areas of inquiry could include but are not limited to:

•          the role of music in Araki's films;

•          Araki and television;

•          intersections of race, gender, and sexuality;

•          production histories and the role of independent film 
communities;

•          reception and influence of Araki's work in 
cultures/geographies beyond the U.S.;

•          parallels between queer theory/politics and Araki's films;

•          influence of punk and other subcultures;

•          beyond the auteur;

•          ... or a suggested topic of your choice.

Essays included in the refereed anthology will be of approximately 6,000 
to 8,000 words, referenced in Chicago endnote style, American spelling 
and grammar.

/The Films of Gregg Araki/aims to be one of the scholarly editions to be 
published by the University of Edinburgh Press in their ReFocus: The 
American Directors series 
<https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/series-refocus-the-american-directors-series/>, 
which examines overlooked American film directors. Series editors are 
Robert Singer, Ph.D., Gary D. Rhodes, Ph.D., Frances Smith, Ph.D., and 
Alicia Kozma, Ph.D. Previous editions include /The Films of Richard 
Linklater/, /The Films of Amy Heckerling/, and /The Films of Wes Craven/.
Authors don't have to pay to publish.

Please attach a curriculum vitae to your abstract and email all 
documents directly to the anthology’s editor by November 30th, 2024:

Arnau Roig, Ph.D.

Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Barcelona (Spain)

(arnau.roig /at/ upf.edu) <mailto:(arnau.roig /at/ upf.edu)>


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