CfP: A New Italian Political Cinema?

A New Italian Political Cinema? is a project supported by an award made by the Arts
and Humanities Research Council's Research Networking Scheme.

It is co-ordinated by the
University of Salford with assistance from: Queen Mary, University of London; Flinders
University, Australia; Middlesex University; Sabanci University, Turkey; and the Partito
di Alternativa Comunista (PdAC), Italy.

* A New Italian Political Cinema? will examine
the nature of the politicization of Italian cinema in the 21st century, to establish
patterns within filmic representations of socio-economic and political issues in Italy,
and to identify the factors affecting the attempts of film-makers to explore societal
problems in their work. It will feature the participation of political activists, trade
unionists, migrant workers, environmentalists, film directors and academics. * The
initial phase of the project will focus on the organization of workshops in London
(November 27th, 2010), Adelaide, Australia (April 29th, 2011) and Cremona, Italy (July
9th, 2011) and on the construction of a dedicated website – online from November 2010 –
to house workshop presentations and other material. In the meantime, a research network
blog will feature updates and further information regarding the project: **
http://italianpoliticalcinema.wordpress.com/ *

The second phase of the project will
centre on a conference in Manchester, GB (January 2012) and on the publication of
volumes of working papers, a collection of essays, and a monograph. * PROJECT REMIT In
new millennium Italian cinema, political and socio-economic realities underpin many
films. The phenomenon of workplace fatalities has been depicted in Mimmo Calopresti’s La
fabbrica dei tedeschi (2008) and the marginalization of trade unions and exploitation of
workers in Paolo Virzì’s Tutta la vita davanti (2008). Italian state brutality during
the G8 protests in Genoa forms the basis of Francesca Comencini’s documentary Carlo
Giuliani, ragazzo (2002). The role of political corruption and organized crime in
causing environmental disasters has been explored in Matteo Garrone’s Gomorra (2008).
The vulnerability of immigrants in Italy has been highlighted in films such as Marco
Tullio Giordana’s Quando sei nato non puoi più nasconderti (2005) and Giuseppe
Tornatore’s La sconosciuta (2006). Marco Bellocchio’s Buongiorno notte (2003) and Guido
Chiesa’s Lavorare con lentezza (2004) are indicative of a cinematic tendency to revisit
Italy’s troubled political past. At a macro level, the corrupt, repressive nature of
Silvio Berlusconi’s administrations has been analysed in Nanni Moretti’s Il caimano
(2006). Italian cinema has also vividly represented the global effects of capitalism in
films such as Gianni Amelio’s La stella che non c’è (2006). * Media distortions and
untruths have influenced public perceptions of Italy’s socio-economic realities,
creating a contradiction with the stark representations of the country’s problems
sometimes found in contemporary Italian cinema. However, many film directors are also
culpable of sidelining the sources of macro-level social conflict initially highlighted
in films, with storylines often narrowing towards personalized solutions for individual
characters and towards structured, genre-specific denouements. This leaves them
susceptible to the accusation that certain forms of art continue to use symbolic,
personalized solutions to smooth over profound social antagonisms. * A series of
workshops forms the first phase of A New Italian Political Cinema? Each workshop will be
chaired by several facilitators including migrant workers, trade unionists, political
activists, and academics; we are in the process of finalizing their participation.
Attendance at the workshops is free, although pre-registration will be necessary by
contacting the project co- ordinator, William Hope (W.Hope@salford.ac.uk). *
Participation in one of the workshops should be considered a prerequisite for
involvement in the project’s subsequent stages. Workshop places are limited and are
available on a first come, first served basis, with priority being given to participants
intending to give a short presentation. Some financial assistance for travel expenses
will be available to postgraduates, the unemployed, and to those facing financial
hardship. Priority will be given to participants who have workshop presentation
proposals approved. * The timeframe covered by the project is Italian cinema from the
early 1990s to the present day, with a particular emphasis on new millennium films.
Colleagues interested in participating at one of the workshops are invited to access the
research network blog for details concerning the submission of proposals for workshop
presentations: ** http://italianpoliticalcinema.wordpress.com/ Indicative topics for
presentations include (but are by no means limited to): * The commodification and
privatization of Italy’s landscapes and resources as depicted on screen; * Cinematic
representations of economic migrants and asylum seekers in Italy Cinema and the
workplace; capital, labour, precariato, workplace fatalities; * Filmic representations
of institutional oppression and/or political extremism in Italy; * Italy’s political
past revisited on screen; * Cinematic representations of socio-economic alienation and
marginalization; * Screen explorations of gender and sexuality; * New age antiheroes;
film characters as embodiments of capitalist values; * Italian cinematic perspectives
regarding the effects of capitalism in an international context; * The depoliticization
of Italian cinema and society; * The production and distribution difficulties facing
“political” film-makers. ** http://italianpoliticalcinema.wordpress.com/