The 16th RAI Film Festival will take place 27-30 March 2019 at the Watershed in Bristol (UK). Alongside this, the Royal Anthropological Institute is pleased to announce an accompanying conference:
Expanding the Frame: Ethnographic Film and its Others
The call for papers is now open until 6 January 2019:
https://raifilm.org.uk/conference/
You can either submit a paper to a specific panel (https://raifilm.org.uk/list-of-panels/) or you can submit an independent paper that responds to the theme of the conference as outlined here below.
Expanding the Frame: Ethnographic Film and its Others
Despite decades of trying, anthropologists have not managed to come to any settled agreement on what ethnographic film is or should be. Rather than being chained to the “classics” or a “canon”, anthropological filmmakers and ethnographic filmmaking have instead pushed for new approaches. These approaches continue to blur any presumed boundaries of the field. Increasingly, ethnographic film has sought to position itself in productive relationships alongside fellow travellers, including:
indigenous, diasporic, intercultural, African/black cinemas and experimental/art film
We invite papers that explore the boundaries of ethnographic film.
The aim of this conference is to provoke reflection on the relationship between ethnographic film and other filmmaking endeavours that are – or have the potential to be – constructive critical interlocutors. To what extent can ethnographic film practice creatively engage with other film traditions yet still retain its scholarly roots and aims? Does it need to?
The RAI welcomes papers on any aspect of the topic, whether theoretical or ethnographic.
Amongst the possible (but not restricted to) areas which may be considered are:
Recent debates on the relation between ethnographic film and cinematic traditions such as indigenous, diasporic, intercultural, African/black cinemas and experimental/art film
Decolonizing documentary/ethnographic film
Collaborative research and filmmaking practices
Virtual & Augmented Reality, 360° filmmaking, interactive documentary and their affordances
Intellectual ownership, copyright and authorship
Digital and infrastructural divides
Non-representational theories and practices
Indigenous broadcasting/media and anthropology
Global indigenous movements
Indigenous, ethnic, and minority identities and film
Film as performance, event and process
Audience reception, film festivals and distribution practices
It is the intention of the organisers that this conference be integrated with the Festival, meaning that conference delegates will have the opportunity to attend the screenings, as well as speak at the conference.
