[Commlist] cfp: Frames of Change: Historicizing Recent European Cinema (1990–2025)

*Call for Papers*

*Frames of Change: Historicizing Recent European Cinema (1990–2025)*

22-23 May 2025 | Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain

Organized by Fernando Ramos Arenas (Universidad Complutense Madrid) and 
Daniel Biltereyst (Ghent University, CIMS)

**

*About the Conference:*

The past three decades have seen European cinema undergo significant 
transformations, driven by a range of technological, economic, cultural, 
and political factors. From the proliferation of digital filmmaking and 
distribution to shifts in film programming, audience consumption 
patterns and evolving cultural policies, the landscape of European 
cinema has been dramatically reshaped. *Frames of Change: Historicizing 
Recent European Cinema (1990–2025)*seeks to explore these changes and 
reflect on their historical implications for the production, 
distribution, exhibition, and reception of European films, as well as 
for their modes of representation, aesthetics and ideology. **

At the heart of this exploration is a broad rethinking of the very 
concept of */cinema/* across Europeand its cultural, societal and 
industrial value. Hasn’t cinema just become a “niche, like opera”, as 
Paul Schrader recently argued? What about *cinema in Europe* and its 
(still valid?) reputation linked to ‘auteur cinema’, art, critical 
prestige? How do different national and regional cinematic traditions 
conceptualize film and *the /cinematic/ in relation to global 
audiovisual media*?These questions extend beyond traditional notions of 
national cinema to encompass how filmmakers, audiences, and institutions 
across Europe have shaped and been (re)shaped by the evolving media 
landscape.They also open following*areas of critical reflection*:

  * Theconference invites scholars to interrogate the *shifting film
    styles, genres, and aesthetics *that have emerged over the past
    three decades, tracing how European filmmakers have navigated both
    global trends and regional sensibilities in their work.Additionally,
    questions of *representation*, *diversity*, and *inclusion* have
    become central to the European film discourse, especially as
    filmmakers tackle issues of migration, gender, race, and identity
    within an increasingly interconnected (and recently disconnecting)
    Europe.
  * *Digitization*has had a deeply transformative impact on European
    cinema. What kind of new programming tactics emerged thanks to
    digitization? How have the *practices, strategies, and economies* of
    film exhibition in Europe evolved, particularly in response to the
    dominance of streaming services and changing audience behaviours?
    What was the impact of technological disruptions, financial crises,
    and global health crisis like the COVID-19pandemic?
  * *The rise of major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, and
    Disney+ has led to profound shifts in distribution models, audience
    engagement, and film financing, challenging traditional cinema
    exhibition and altering how films are consumed across Europe*.
    Alongside this, the evolution of *film consumption patterns* across
    Europe—shifting from cinema to streaming platforms, from physical to
    digital formats—requires new methods of understanding audience
    experiences and engagement.
  * At the same time, *European Union policies*have played a key role in
    shaping the audiovisual sector, fostering *co-productions* and
    defining funding structures that influence everything from
    filmmaking to consumption and experiencing films. Looking back at
    thirty years of European film policies it is however time to
    *evaluate h**ow successful EU, national, regional and local film
    policies **have been in strength**in**gcinema in **the continent*.
  * Finally, we encourage papers that explore case studies of *industry
    shifts*, including the role of streaming platforms, independent
    cinema, and the *research and development* *function of cinema*
    within the broader European audiovisual market.

This conference seeks to provide a platform for scholars to critically 
engage with these issues and contribute to the ongoing reimagining of 
European cinema in the 21st century. We invite papers that approach 
these questions from a range of theoretical, methodological, and 
disciplinary perspectives, aiming to offer a comprehensive and 
multifaceted understanding of the forces shaping European cinema from 
1990 to 2025.

*Considering these aspects,***we welcome proposals for papers addressing 
(but not limited to) the following topics:

  * Conceptualizations of cinema, film, and the cinematic across Europe
  * Shifting film styles, genres, and aesthetics across European cinema
  * Representation, diversity, and inclusion within European cinema
  * Reimagining authorship in European cinema
  * The impact of digitization on European filmmaking and distribution
    practice
  * Challenges, responses, and transformations in European film exhibition
  * The role of European Union policies in shaping the audiovisual 
landscape
  * The role of Europeanfestivals as sites of cultural and
    industrialtransformation
  * European film audiences and their experiences of European cinema
  * European cinema as a tool for cultural diplomacy
  * Evolving patterns of film consumption and audience engagement across
    Europe
  * Reflections on the impact of thedominance of U.S. streamers and
    other global players on European cinema
  * European cinema as world cinema: local narratives on the global stage
  * Cinema as the R&D arm of the European audiovisual market
  * Interplay between local, national, and global policies in European
    film markets
  * European co-productions reconceived
  * Case studies of industry shifts, including streaming platforms and
    independent cinema

The impact of far and extreme right-wing ideologies on cultural policies 
and on cinema culture

*Approaches with a European scope are highly encouraged. *An introducing 
keynote by an expert is planned. In conjunction with the conference, a 
follow-up publication is also planned.**

The conference is part of the Horizon 2020 Research Project***REBOOT* 
<https://thereboot-project.eu/>.**

**

*Submission Process:***

Please send your title, abstract (max. 500 words) and CV (max. 150 
words) to Fernando Ramos Arenas ((ferramos /at/ ucm.es) 
<mailto:(ferramos /at/ ucm.es)>) and Daniel Biltereyst 
((Daniel.Biltereyst /at/ UGent.be) <mailto:(Daniel.Biltereyst /at/ UGent.be)>) not 
later than 31/1/2025.

**

*Important Dates:*

  * *Abstract Submission Deadline:*January 31, 2025
  * *Notification of Acceptance:*February 28, 2025
  * *Conference:*May 22-23, 2025

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