EASTFILM

Rethinking Eastern European Cinema in a Post-Cold War Ideological Framework

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'EASTFILM aims to rethink the cinema of Eastern Europe in a revised theoretical framework and promote the values of this cinema locally and internationally. The project seeks to achieve its goal by focusing on three objectives: 1. The publication of a scholarly book on Eastern European cinema with a prestigious international press. 2. The incorporation of courses in Eastern European film into UVT’s curriculum. 3. The establishment of an Eastern European Film and Media Center within UVT. 1. Book Project: Orphans of the East "Orphans of the East: Cinema and the Production of Eastern Europe’s Revolutionary Subject" is envisioned as an attempt to recuperate the values of Eastern European film and political culture for an English-language readership. It is a scholarly project in film and intellectual history, aiming to rethink the politics of this region’s cinema in a post-Cold War theoretical context. 2. I plan to introduce three classes in Eastern European cinema into three of UVT’s programs: the Masters Program in Regional Journalism, the Bachelor Program in Cultural Studies, and the Bachelor Program in International Relations. The classes will focus on various periods/regions/topics in Eastern European film. 3. The Eastern European Film and Media Center is envisioned as a collection of relevant fiction and documentary films, and film-studies literature from or about Eastern Europe. It will function as a local reference center for students and scholars interested in Eastern European cinema and culture. Relevance Besides contributing to the rethinking of Eastern European cinema on a regional and international level, the fulfillment of this project will help me establish myself as a film-studies scholar and enrich my host university’s curriculum. The Film and Media Center will support UVT’s goal to position itself as a euroregional university and as an interface between the cultures of East and Central Europe.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An EU-funded project studied the cinema of Eastern Europe, and promoted its values both locally and internationally.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The project 'Rethinking Eastern European cinema in a post-Cold War ideological framework' (http://www.ceefms.polsci.uvt.ro (EASTFILM)) achieved its goals by focusing on three main objectives: publishing a scholarly book on the topic, incorporating courses on Eastern European film at West University of Timisoara, Romania, and establishing the Center for Eastern European Film and Media Studies at West University.

EASTFILM successfully met all of its goals. The book 'Orphans of the East Cinema and the Production of the Revolutionary Subject in Eastern Europe, 1945-1989' focuses on Eastern European political films of the second half of the 20th century. Its perspective is on films that have orphans as protagonists. The orphans are used as a cinematic trope to investigate political visions of institutionalisation and re-education.

The book is divided into six chapters. Each chapter concentrates on one film that was produced in Czechoslovakia, the former German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania. The films show the countries at various stages in the development of Eastern European socialism. The book is unique in that it combines film history and political and aesthetic theory, synthesising these countries' common cinematic and political experiences that came about as a result of their shared past.

During the project, several new courses were developed, including one on the representation of Stalinism in Eastern European film. Following the Center's establishment, it has hosted numerous events and conferences. These include film nights with invited filmmakers and festivals such as the Tranzfilm, presenting Eastern European films on the post-1989 transition process in Eastern Europe.

Moving forward, EASTFILM is working on a second book project and developing new courses. The Center will also continue to host events, with the most important being the expansion of the Tranzfilm festival and conference.