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

*‘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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