FILM AND THE ENVIRONMENT | 6th May 2016
A Cross-Disciplinary Symposium hosted by the School of Art, Media, and American Studies and the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia Friday 6th May 2016, 9am – 5.15pm, The Enterprise Centre, UEA
Global climate change and environmental hazards are significant threats to the future of life on Earth. Recent scientific observations have shown the impact of anthropogenic activity on climate and highlighted the severity of projected changes on the environment. Effects will be felt through increases in weather extremes (storms, floods, landslides and droughts), compounded by the expansion of human populations into marginal ‘at risk’ areas. The use of film in documenting and communicating these impacts to a broad audience has grown substantially in recent years. This is attested to by the proliferation of green film festivals, increased production of public information films on environmental challenges, and the engagement of fiction film with environmental themes. Film has come to bridge the gap between environmental activists, educationalists, academics and the general public.
This cross-disciplinary symposium focuses upon the intersection of film and environmentalism. Using the term ‘film’ in its broadest sense, to refer to moving image works that can be viewed via cinema, television or computer screens, we aim to foster knowledge exchange and generate dialogue between academics from the arts and humanities, philosophy, social and political sciences, and environmental sciences disciplines.
We invite contributions that address any aspect concerned with the making and uses of film in relation to environmental issues. Topics might address, but are not limited to, the following:
Climate Action and film
Environmental film festivals
Gender and the environmental film
Risk communication and film
Ethics and aesthetics in the Eco-Film
Genre and/or narrative theory
Issues of reception, affect, and impact
Environmental politics and film
Eco-critical approaches to film
Eco-feminism and film
Marketing and production
Environmental film and public learning
We invite 15-20 minute paper proposals, and are also happy to consider proposals for alternative presentation formats. Proposals should have a full title and a 100-200 word abstract and should be sent to Christine Cornea by email: [email protected]
Deadline for proposals: 5pm Monday 29th February 2016
This symposium is being held as part of the programme for the Green Film Festival @ UEA research and engagement event, which will take place during the first week of May 2016. In partnership with the UK Green Film Festival, this event will include evening screenings of the 2016 festival winning and an interactive exhibition, which contributors to the symposium are also welcome to attend. The symposium and all other Green Film Festival @ UEA events will be free to attend, but please be aware that we do not have funding to cover contributor travel and other expenses.