[Commlist] cfp: Filmbasematters: A Material Approach to Transnational Histories of Small-Gauge Film conference

CFP
Filmbasematters: A Material Approach to Transnational Histories of 
Small-Gauge Film
International conference
12-13th May 2025, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Aula Baratto
Deadline for submissions is January 20st 2025. Presenters will be 
notified by January 31th.
Submission: (filmbasematters /at/ gmail.com)

This conference stems from a national project FilmBaseMatters that 
interrogates how the chemical industrial complex served as a crucial 
ancillary force in shaping early modern portable cinema (9.5mm, 16mm, 
8mm, Super8) in Italy from the 1920s to the 1960s. This call intends to 
widen this perspective, including proposals that address other national 
and transnational histories to further illuminate political and 
institutional connections, global supply chains, and corporate exchange 
and competition related to the global production, experimentation and 
circulation of small-gauge film stocks. Furthermore, it aims at 
deepening tools and methods for the study of the substandard formats’ 
material properties and their political and cultural implications, 
stressing the productive interaction between the chemical industrial 
complexes of film stock production, and artistic, amateur and 
experimental praxes.

Theoretical reflections on the concept of experimentation from an 
epistemological perspective and case studies drawing attention to 
historical or contemporary approaches to film materiality outside of 
historical period of interest are welcome in the spirit of shedding 
light on complex genealogies and cyclical dynamics. Furthermore, how 
might hands-on approaches to the material history of small-gauge film 
uncover and rewrite the power relations inscribed in this technology?

Proposals may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Media epistemology and object-oriented research to small-gauge film;
Format studies and the small-gauge film;
The lab (artist’s or industrial) as site of experiment, testing, 
failure, learning;
Experimental media archaeology and small-gauge film: documentation, 
presentation, preservation;
Disciplinary borrowings: chemistry, conservation science, architecture 
and industrial infrastructure, industrial design;
Film test aesthetics;
Cultural histories of chemical industries, engineering, industrial 
design in relation to the photo and film industry;
Production, distribution and marketing of small-gauge film stocks;
Transnational supply chain networks;
Corporate involvement and sustainment of small-gauge film cultural 
activities, such as sponsorship of contests and film festivals;
Amateur/experimental filmmakers and small-gauge film manufacturers;
Discourses of materiality in amateur and photography journals and house 
organs;
Gender and race as related to film materiality;
Geo-political specificity of raw film stock: local, national, colonial 
and post-colonial histories of film stock production;
Raw material extraction from a materialist or ecocritical perspective;



Submissions
Please send a proposal (300 words and 3-5 bibliographical references) 
for a 20-minute presentation, a short bio and contact details to 
(filmbasematters /at/ gmail.com).
We are also open to performative formats such as media archaeological 
demonstrations, experimental and practice-based talks or re-enactments 
for 50-minute sessions.
Deadline for submissions is January 20st 2025. Presenters will be 
notified by January 31th.

Scientific Committee
Miriam De Rosa (FBM project, Venice research unit lead)
Elena Gipponi ( FBM project, IULM research unit lead)
Francesca Izzo (FBM project, Venice research unit member)
Andrea Mariani (FBM project, PI and Udine research unit lead)
Costanza Paolillo (FBM project, IULM research unit member)
Simona Schneider (FBM project, Udine research unit member)

Further Information
The conference is organised in the framework of the PRIN 2022 project, 
FilmBaseMatters: A Material Approach to the History of Small-Gauge Film 
in Italy, Cod. 2022A9TNXX, CUP H53D23006770006. To know more, follow 
filmbasematters on Instagram.
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