PhD Studentship: HORROR AND EXPLOITATION CINEMA BEYOND THE NATIONAL

FYI,

Dear colleagues,

With apologies for cross-posting, please see below for information about a PhD studentship at Northumbria University:HORROR AND EXPLOITATION CINEMA BEYOND THE NATIONAL.

The deadline for applicants is 20 January 2017, with a prospective start date of 2 October 2017.

The project is being considered for studentship funding in competition with other projects, available to applicants worldwide. The studentship includes a full stipend, paid for three years at RCUK rates for 2017/18 (this is yet to be set, in 2016/17 this is £14,296 pa) and fees (Home/EU £4,350 / International £13,000 / International Lab-based £16,000). Additionally, as Northumbria celebrates its 25th anniversary as a University and in line with our international outlook, some projects may also be offered to students from outside of the EU supported by a half-fee reduction.

Project Description

It has been commonplace within film scholarship to examine different horror and exploitation films principally in relation to their “primary country of production”. While a number of scholars have sought to rectify this issue by examining specific films in relation to a range of “transnational” elements, more needs to be done if we are to fully understand the ways that different horror and exploitation films (or their makers) have a) historically challenged notions of “the national” and b) still continue to do so to this day.
 It is the aim of this project to investigate horror and/or exploitation cinema in relation to more broader, cross-cultural and transnational factors, including the content of specific films themselves (i.e. the presence of various cultural inflections), and/or issues concerning contexts of production, distribution and exhibition. We are interested in receiving applications which address any historical context, from the beginnings of cinema to the present.

Possible topics include, but are by no means limited to, the following: 

·         Transnational cultural inflections within specific horror and/or exploitation films 

·         Industrial concerns such as production (including the phenomenon of the co-production), distribution and exhibition contexts. 

·         Horror/exploitation films beyond the West, e.g. from Asia, Africa. 

·         The marketing of “national” horror/exploitation films in other countries, e.g. the transnational distribution trajectories of “British” horror films in Europe, etc. 

·         Transnational horror/exploitation film cycles

·         Transnational horror/exploitation remakes and sequels

·         How new technologies have facilitated transnational processes (VHS, DVD, VoD, camcorders)

Based in the Department of Social Sciences, this PhD studentship builds upon the extensive research into horror and exploitation cinema already undertaken at Northumbria University. The department also houses the Popular Film and Television Collection, which includes film-related items ranging from trade magazines and production notes to promotional materials. The successful candidate will have full access to this material.

Eligibility and How to Apply

Please note eligibility requirement: 

·         Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities [preference for 1st class honours]); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement. 

·         Appropriate IELTS score, if required. 

For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/

Please ensure you quote the advert reference above on your application form.

Deadline for applications: 20 January 2017
 Start Date: 2 October 2017

Northumbria University is an equal opportunities provider and in welcoming applications for studentships from all sectors of the community we strongly encourage applications from women and under-represented groups.

Informal enquires can be directed to johnny.walker@northumbria.ac.uk

Best wishes

Johnny

***

Dr Johnny Walker

Senior Lecturer in Media

Erasmus Lead

Department of Social Sciences and Languages

Northumbria University, Lipman 403b

Tel. (+ 44) 191 227 3920

Book out now: Contemporary British Horror Cinema

Founding co-editor of Global Exploitation Cinemas

Web. http://johnny-walker.org

  

Call for Papers: Symposium: Exploitation Cinema in the 21st Century

*Canterbury Christ Church University*

*Symposium: Exploitation Cinema in the 21^st Century.*

*
*

*Event Date: June 9^th 2017*

*Deadline for proposals: 3^rd March 2017*

*
*

*Keynote Speaker: Dr Johnny Walker, Northumbria University*


In relation to cinema, the term “exploitation” has been adopted by various individuals and institutions over time, from opportunistic film producers and marketers of the 1920s to contemporary online distributors releasing new films in the 21^st century. There is a current wave of exciting and productive scholarship on the historical developments of exploitation cinema, and its famous, and not so famous, films and filmmakers. But much of this research focuses on exploitation before the year 2000, with a particular focus up to and including the VHS era of the 1980s. Less research exists on the inflections of exploitation in the 21^st century, and the trends and developments that have taken place since the turn of the century. This one-day symposium seeks to shed new light on the embodiments of exploitation cinema since 2000, with particular emphasis on current waves and cycles, the way in which they are now consumed (such as online rather than in theatres), and which particular exploitation filmmakers stand out as being important in contemporary times.

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*

*Topics might include (but are not limited to);*

  * Analysis of single films
  * Studies of current waves or cycles of exploitation
  * Exploitation cinema from global national contexts (in particular
    from non-English speaking countries)
  * The re-emergence of old cycles since 2000 (Rape-Revenge, the Biker
    movie, etc.)
  * Individual filmmakers
  * New genres, sub-genres, and hybrids
  * High budget exploitation (such as that produced by Quentin Tarantino
    and Robert Rodriguez)
  * Patterns of exhibition and distribution
  * Studies of industrial models or modes
  * Exploitation studios (The Asylum etc.)
  * Exploitation online
  * Exploitation fandom and audiences

We invite proposals of up to *300 words* for *20 minute papers*, plus a short bio (up to 150 words) by *March 3^rd 2017*.


We also welcome video essays to be submitted with a 300 word proposal/150 word bio, sent to us by *March 3^rd 2017*. Final video submissions should be sent by *June 2^nd 2017* via Vimeo link. Video submissions should aim to be 10 minutes maximum running time.

All proposal (and any queries) should be sent to *Dr James Newton* at james.newton@canterbury.ac.uk<mailto:james.newton@canterbury.ac.uk>

Academics Write Papers Arguing Over How Many People Read (And Cite) Their Papers

Academics Write Papers Arguing Over How Many People Read (And Cite) Their Papers



"In the 2007 study, the authors introduce their topic by noting that “as many as 50% of papers are never read by anyone other than their authors, referees and journal editors.” They also claim that 90 percent of papers published are never cited. " 

A Land Overflowing with Milk And Honey: Sastradarma's Description of Batavia, 1867–1869

A Land Overflowing with Milk And Honey: Sastradarma's Description of Batavia, 1867–1869: (2006). A Land Overflowing with Milk And Honey: Sastradarma's Description of Batavia, 1867–1869. Indonesia and the Malay World: Vol. 34, No. 98, pp. 109-115. doi: 10.1080/13639810600652550

Peter O'Brien is Back! Here's the Trailer

Peter O'Brien, the cool guy in The Intruder (Pembalasan Rambu, 1986),  The Stabilizer  [Segi Tiga Emas, 1986], Forceful Impact (1987), is BACK!

I just saw a trailer of Malaysian movie, Hanyut (U-Wei Haji Saari' 2016) on FB, and i found his name. I asked Hassan Abd Muthalib whether Peter is the same person as the one who acted as Rambu. And he confirmed it.

The film is an adaptation of a novel by Joseph Conrad, "Almayer's Folly".  Other movie stars in the movie include Diana Danielle, Sofia Jane, Adi Putra, and two Indonesian actors, El-Manik and Alex Komang. The film will be screened in Malaysian theaters starting 24 November.

Peter O'Brien is one of the cult icon of "Crazy Indonesia". His films include Double Crosser   [Membakar Lingkaran Api, 1989], Jungle Heat  [Rimba Panas, 1988], Lethal Hunter aka American Hunter [Pemburu Berdarah Dingin, 1990],  Triple Cross aka Angel of Fury (Pertempuran Segi Tiga, 1990), and Time Game (1998).

Hanyut is not an exploitation film, let alone "Crazy Indonesia" film. But, still, the return of Rambu, i mean Peter O'Brien, is the best news I've heard this morning. And the director is one of important filmmakers in Malaysia! 

Here's the trailer:

The interview with the director on why the film will be screened in Indonesia first:

Correction:
apologizes. somebody just told me that the actor playing in Hanyut is not the same with the one from Pembalasan Rambu. I thought it was just the case of misspelling (O'brien and O'Brian), apparently they are two different people. apologizes.

Tiga Menguak Usmar: Tulisan popular di Rolling Stone Indonesia

Mengulas tiga film legendaris Usmar Ismail, yang dikenal sebagai "Bapak Film Indonesia",  yang hingga kini masih jarang disaksikan publik, yaitu "Lagi-Lagi Krisis" (1955), "Big Village" (1969), dan "Ananda" (1970).
Tulisan ini hendak mengemukakan sisi lain dari Usmar, yang dengan tajam mengobservasi dan bahkan menguliti tema lain: fenomena urbanisasi dan globalisasi yang dialami oleh manusia Indonesia.
Ketiga film yang diulas menunjukkan kekayaan sudut berbeda khazanah pemikiran dan karya Usmar.

Dua film terakhirnya, bagi saya, bisa dikategorikan sebagai Prostitution Genre, seperti yang dirumuskan Krishna Sen. Artinya, satu kotak dengan "Bernafas dalam Lumpur" (1970) dan "Bumi Makin Panas" (1973).

Link: Klik di sini

Djair, The Creator of Jaka Sembung, Passed Away

RIP Djair Warni (13/05/1945-27/09/2016),  a popular comic artist.  He passed away today, 10am Indonesia time.
He created so many fictional characters which have been adapted into the big screen such as Jaka Sembung, Bergola Ijo (1983), Jaka Swara (1980), and Jaka Gledek (1983).


His works were adapted into so many #CrazyIndonesia films, including Jaka Sembung (The Warrior) series--Jaka Sembung Sang Penakluk (The Warrior, 1980) Si Buta vs Jaka Sembung (Blind Warrior vs The Warrior, 1983), Bajing Ireng dan Jaka Sembung (The Warrior vs Ninja, 1983),   Lebak Membara (Blazing Battle, 1982), Serbuan Halilintar (Special Silencers, 1982).

Some other awesome works:
Nyi Ageng Ratu Pemikat,1983,
Malaikat Bayangan,1988

You will be sorely missed....

Related links:
About Jaka Sembung Series
Jaka Sembung dan Dunia Islam
"Cult Fan Boys" Ketemu Jaka Sembung dan Leak

SCALARAMA 2016, DYI Film Festival

Bagi pencinta film di Inggris, September artinya adalah Scalarama. Ini ajang bagi banyak komunitas film dan bioskop alternatif membuat acara di masing-masing tempat di berbagai kota dan dan dipadupadankan dalam satu rangkaian acara yang solid. semacam DYI film festival. Moto mereka: SCALARAMA: CELEBRATE CINEMA: A DIY film season for everyone, by everyone, everywhere, every September.

Di Bristol, ada kineklub seperti SeventySeven Film Club, Bristol Bad Film Club, Bristol Cinema Cinema, Hellfire Video Club, juga bioskop The Cube Microplex.  Menariknya, selera mereka campur, dan didominasi oleh film-film cult (termasuk yang cult blockbusters), exploitation, dan B-grade movies.
Maka, ada blaxploitation macam Human Tornado, zombie biker (Psychomania), dan tak ketinggalan Mystics in Bali karya H. Tjut Djalil. Ada film anak seperti Matilda dan The Lego Movie, ada film yang lebih "nyeni" macam The 400 Blows. Ada film arusutama seperti The Goonies, Stark Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Starship Troopers, dan Close Encounters of the Third Kind. semuanya merayakan sinema, segala selera, dengan satu persamaan: DIY alias mandiri.

Dan saya beruntung bisa ikut serta dalam ajang ini, dengan turut menjadi organizer untuk South East Asian Cult Cinema Double Bill: Lady Terminator & The Killing of Satan (35mm) (yang terakhir ini diputar dalam format 35mm, atas rekomendasi Pete Tombs, yang waktu itu baru ingat kalau MondoMacabro menyimpannya di sebuah gudang di London). Karena Double Feature, maka harganya pun lumayan murah meriah.

Kalau di Indonesia, adakah festival film semacam ini? #benerantanya

Call for Panels, Roundtables, Laboratories, EUROSEAS conference 2017, Oxford

CALL FOR PANELS EUROSEAS CONFERENCE 2017

Welcome to the website of the European Association for Southeast Asian Studies (EuroSEAS), the world’s largest organisation devoted to the study of Southeast Asia. EuroSEAS aims to stimulate scholarly cooperation within Europe in the field of Southeast Asian studies. It was founded in 1992 and EuroSEAS members work primarily in the humanities and social sciences, from archeology to economics, from anthropology to linguistics, and from art history, literature, theatre studies to religious studies.The main EuroSEAS activity is the organization of an international conference bringing together hundreds of specialists on Southeast Asia from all over the world. So far, conferences have been held respectively in Leiden (1995), Hamburg (1998), London (2001), Paris (2004), Naples (2007), Gothenburg (2010), Lisbon (2013) and Vienna (2015). 

CALL FOR PANELS EUROSEAS CONFERENCE | 16-18 AUGUST 2017The European Association for Southeast Asian Studies (EuroSEAS) will hold its 9th conference from 16 to 18 August 2017 at the University of Oxford. As an international and multi-disciplinary organisation, EuroSEAS invites scholars and PhD students from all academic disciplines with an interest in Southeast Asia to submit panels that explore relevant research topics from an interdisciplinary perspective as well as discuss theoretical and methodological aspects of research generated in the field of Southeast Asian Studies. Proposals are also invited for a limited number of roundtable discussions about recent developments in Southeast Asia and for laboratories that would develop cross-disciplinary collaboration.

PANELSPanels consist of a convener, 3-4 presenters, and if possible, a discussant. Double sessions of max 6 presentations are allowed. We invite panels on a wide range of topics in the social sciences and humanities of Southeast Asia. We prefer panels with a geographical comparative approach and panels that cross disciplinary boundaries. We especially invite panels on climate change, literature, performing arts, and archaeology – fields that were underrepresented in previous conferences.

Submission format: (1) title, (2) convener, (3) brief description of panel, max ½ page, (4) single session (1 x 90 min.): 3-4 presenters; double session (2 x 90 min.): 6 presenters, (5) optional: discussant.

ROUNDTABLESRoundtables address current issues and new developments, and consist of a convener and max. 6 participants who prepare brief statements followed by audience discussion.

Submission format: (1) title, (2) convener, (3) explain in ½ page urgency of topic, (4) max 6 presenters.

LABORATORIES
Laboratories are closed meetings for young scholars to develop innovative cross-disciplinary plans. Laboratories run for half a day and consist of a convener and max 8 participants. Towards the end of the conference conveners will present the results of these meetings to a larger audience.

Submission format: (1) title, (2) convener, (3) explain in ½ page plans for discussion and collaboration, (4) max 8 participants.

DEADLINES
Please send your proposals to: euroseas@kitlv.nl by 31 October 2016.

ONLINE REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT
Official registration at the EuroSEAS website will start from 1 December 2016 onwards.

CONFERENCE FEES
tba
Plus EuroSEAS membership fee (to be paid by all participants) 30,00 Euros.

GENERAL CONDITIONS AND TERMSClick here to read the general conditions and terms for participants of the EuroSEAS conference...>>

MEMBERSHIP EUROSEASParticipants of the EuroSEAS conferences are automatically member of EuroSEAS until the next conference. It is also possible to become a member without visiting the conference. The membership fee is € 30 (for two years). For more information, please send an email to Yayah Siegers-Samaniri (secretariat EuroSEAS): euroseas@kitlv.nl. 

Bagaimana Mencari Film Jadul Indonesia?

 Ada banyak sumber cari film jadul indonesia asli 
(1) sinematek indonesia 
(2) Karyamas Vision (Hayam Wuruk Glodok Harco,021-6244789) & Navirindo Audio Visual (0214205444, navirindo@cbn.net.id) . Sekarang sudah makin jarang, dan adanya di Glodok dengan paket jumbo, misalnya 8 in 1, dan ada temanya: Film-Film Barry Prima, atau Film-Film Perjuangan

(3) sebuah toko kasud di chow kit, kuala lumpur punya vcd2 film indonesia asli dengan distributor dari malaysia 
(4) khususnya 16mm di berbagai pemilik layar tancap 
(5) film2 yang diekspor di tahun 1980an banyak bootlegnya dan diterbitkan ulang, antara lain oleh mondomacabrodvd dan troma team. 
(6) kadang ada yg dapat aja 35mm nya seperti "darna ajaib" diputar di pusan dan "duo kribo" di kineforum 
(7) ada yg sudah direstorasi seperti lewat djam malam, tiga dara, dan film2 warkop/benyamin/rhoma irama yg hak2nya ada di falcon.

Sungguh Keterlaluan: Kesan Awal Buku "Sinema di Masa Sukarno"

SUNGGUH KETERLALUAN!

Mengutip film “Badut-Badut Kota”: Sungguh Keterlaluan buku “Sinema Pada Masa Sukarno”, Pak Tanete, Mas Seno, dan segala diskusinya. Sungguh keterlaluan, mengapa buku ini baru beredar sekarang, di tengah-tengah saya sedang dalam tahap akhir penulisan tesis saya. Kenapa tidak dari dulu-dulu?

 

Tentu saja saya belum baca buku ini. Tapi melihat diskusi itu, ada beberapa perasaan yang campur aduk. Pertama, tentu saja sangat bergembira setengah mupeng, ingin sekali membaca dan menelaahnya. Kedua, ingin berucap: Sungguh keterlaluan. Mengapa?

 

1. Melihat dari diskusi itu, saya melihat bahwa salah satu sumbangan terbesar buku ini adalah dalam hal metodologi dan metode penelitian. Sumber primer dari mana saja, termasuk koran kuning. “tidak ada hirarki teks”, kata mas Seno.  Dan penelitiannya berfokus pada konteks, bukan lagi pada teks atau estetika film.
   Saya harus meraba-raba dari mana mulai, saat awal-awal riset dimulai. Akhirnya saya menemukan istilah “New Cinema History” yang mengupas film dari sisi ekstrinsik, bukan intrinsik. Misalnya, dibahas di buku Maltby (2011). Intinya, pendekatan semacam ini mempertimbangkan sirkulasi dan konsumsi dan untuk menelaah sinema sebagai situs sosial dan pertukaran budaya.
   Buku lainnya ditulis oleh James Chapman, Mark Glancy, and Sue Harper, berjudul The New Film History: Sources, Methods, Approaches.  Yaitu, investigasi empiris yang menganalisa sumber primer yang dikaitkan dengan produksi dan resepsi film.
   INTINYA, bagaimana film dibentuk oleh kombinasi dari proses sejarah.
   Eric Schaefer, misalnya, dalam Daring! Shocking! True! A History of Exploitation Films, 1919-1959, mnenyatakan metodenya sebagai  “Empirical Imperative”.

 Sebelumnya, ada juga  Thomas Elsaesser dkk yang mulai membuat metode ini ngetren.

Kini, sudah ada beberapa penelitian dengan pendekatan seperti ini, sebenarnya. Nah, mengapa bukunya pak Tanete penting: Karena (1)  ini ditulis 47 tahun lalu, sebelum gerakan ini terkenal, (2) dan tentang film Indonesia, (3) dan konteksnya adalah saat elit budaya sedang giat-giatnya menghegemoni dengan bingkaian konsep  “film nasional” versi mereka, (4) dan kajiannya (akademis, popular, jurnalistik) didominasi oleh estetika atau sisi intrinsik film.

Saya sendiri, sedang meneliti “Film di Jaman Suharto”, dengan amatan khusus ke film-film eksploitasi/B.  saya juga memakai majalah, koran, buku acara, dll. Dan sedikit banyak, analisa saya melawan arus pemikiran para elit budaya--para pemikir yang karya-karyanya saya baca dan  gemari.  Ini selaras dengan semangat akademis di kampus saya, University of East Anglia, yang menekankan kajian arsip dan juga kajian kepenggemaran dan kepenontonan (politik budaya, ekonomi budaya, dll) selain kajian film-B.

Tapi, buku itu ditulis 47 tahun lalu,  oleh akademisi Indonesia dan mengambil kasus Indonesia.  Sungguh keterlaluan, mengapa buku ini baru terbit sekarang? :)


Jadi, saya kira buku ini sangat relevan dan menjadi pemicu semangat saya. Nah masalah kedua:

2 Hasil akhir buku Pak Tanete, menurut Mas Seno, adalah mengalir lancar dan penting. Juga mengungkap hal-hal baru yang belum dikenal atau melawan pengetahuan umum tentang film.   Saya jadi merenung, bagaimana dengan karya saya? Apakah penelitan saya nantinya akan sepenting ini, dan dampak/manfaatnya bisa seluas itu? Riset saya memang belum selesai, tapi semoga bisa menyumbangkan sesuatu bagi kebijakan publik, kajian film dan sejarah, dan kajian film dan budaya/media pada umumnya.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30EL5AH5-EI&feature=youtu.be

 

My Abstract at ASEASUK Conference, September 2016

As you probably know,  I am co-organizing a panel at ASEASUK (Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the UK) with Tito Imanda. The panel's title is The Politics of Tastes in Southeast Asian Cinema. The conference will be held at SOAS University of London, 16-18 September.

unfortunately, last month, a presenter in our panel has withdrawn from the conference. So, we decided to put my own abstract as the substitute.

Here's the abstract:

 The Politics of Tastes of New Order’s Cultural Elites 

As non-state agents, cultural elites along with the government played important roles in cultural history of Indonesia in New Order period (1966-1998). Krishna Sen overviews history of Indonesian Cinema in New Order in one sentence: “The New Order inherited a cinema that expressed a highly individualist and elitist approach to society” (Sen 1994, 94). In the Indonesian context, culture elites are a group of prominent figures who share the same ideology and mostly belong to nationalist wing who try to play a role as, In Toynbee’s term, a group of “creative minority”. Krishna Sen describes them as “the tiny urban, educated, national political elites, which since independence had been bound by personal ties that bridged ‘conflict of interest’ and ideology” (Sen 1994, 27). The phenomenon can be read in articles written by most prominent film critics, journalists, historians, and academia such as Asrul Sani (poet, cultural thinker, prominent writer, award-winning scriptwriter, director), Rosihan Anwar (senior journalist), Sumardjono (filmmaker), Misbach Jusa Biran (film historian, founder of Sinematek Indonesia, filmmaker), and Salim Said (film scholar). They also played roles in some film institutions and organizations, such as Festival Film Indonesia, censorship board, National Film Council (Dewan Film Nasional). They wanted to frame Indonesian film to fit in the concept of film nasional (national film), where the goals were to “search Indonesian faces on screen” (1978) and should be “with cultural and educational purposes” (Film Kultural Edukatif, 1982-1983) (2010). In this paper, I will elaborate why and how Indonesian cultural elites in New Order era have tried to exclude local exploitation films from the discourses of concept and official history of national cinema and national film cultures, and tried to negotiate with various kinds of politics of tastes. By investigating archives such as film policies and media clippings, I will underline the taste battle between the government and cultural elites and other stakeholders, namely local film producers-distributors-exhibitors (including Layar Tancap/traveling cinema companies), and domestic mainstream audience, as well as international distributors.


---
To read all of  the panels and abstracts, click here
For the schedule: here
For film-related panels: here

SOUTHEAST ASIAN CULT CINEMA DOUBLE BILL: LADY TERMINATOR & THE KILLING OF SATAN

FYI, I am co-organizing this event. If you are around, please do come! :)

Scalarama's  Asian Cult Cinema Double Bill: Indonesia's Lady Terminator and The Philippines' The Killing of Satan (in 35mm!) , Cube Microplex, Bristol, Saturday 10 September, 19.00.
And a discussion session with Mondo Macabro's Pete Tombs 

Tickets: £7 / 6 (conc)

A mind bending double bill of South East Asian cult lunacy!

Indonesia’s “Lady Terminator” combines the folktale of legendary Javanese South Sea Queen and James Cameron’s Terminator.

“The Killing of Satan” is a wild Filipino fantasy horror film, about a man who fights Satan to rescue his daughter. Screened in 35mm format!

Link to Scalarama's event:  here

On Lady Terminator: Interview with Barbara Anne Constable by Andrew Leavold: here. 

CfP: Film Stardom in Southeast Asia

Film Stardom in Southeast Asia
Workshop
Monash University Malaysia, 24 & 25 November 2016

CALL FOR PAPERS

All across Southeast Asia film stars have attained an important place in
popular culture, appearing in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and
cinema marquees, at public events and premieres, and now on the internet
and social media. While some are from cinemas from outside the region, such
as Hollywood or Hindi cinema, Southeast Asian cinemas have also built their
own distinctive star systems, which have produced a host of successful
stars. These stars often possess the general features of stardom commonly
noted in film scholarship, such as glamour and charisma, while at the same
time offering nationally (or even regionally) specific inflections of the
phenomenon, embodying local tastes, values and ideologies. Many have
reached stellar levels of fame, with Mitr Chaibancha in Thailand, P. Ramlee
in Malaysia and Nora Aunor in the Philippines, for example, all attaining
legendary status in their respective countries. And yet there is little
academic work focusing on the region’s stars.

This workshop on film stardom in Southeast Asia will contribute to
existing scholarship in Star Studies and Southeast Asian cinema studies in
a number of key ways. It will explore such questions as: how do Southeast
Asian film stars contribute to the marketing, business and economics of the
industries they work in? In what ways are Southeast Asian films shaped by
their stars, through their extra-filmic personas and/or their star
performances? How do the region’s stars give insight into the social and
political contexts of life in Southeast Asia? To what extent do film stars
offer a fresh perspective on Southeast Asian film history?

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Case studies of particular stars and star systems from the
  region
• Nationally specific ideas of stardom in Southeast Asia (e.g. in
  Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
  Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)
• Stardom and identity (e.g. class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality)
• Stars of independent and auteur cinema
• Stardom’s relationship with empire and post-colonialism
• The influence of stardom from other parts of the world (e.g.Hollywood, India, Hong Kong)
• Religion and stardom in Southeast Asia
• Transnational Southeast Asian stars
• Stardom and Southeast Asian film genres
• Stardom and performance (including the influence of regional
  performance traditions)
• The role of stars in mediating notions of tradition and
  modernity
• Fans, audiences and reception studies
  This two-day workshop will be a closed-door event, only open to the
  workshop’s speakers and discussants. Speakers will give a 20-30 minute
  presentation, which will be followed by discussion and Q&A.
  Confirmed speakers include: Mary Ainslie (University of Nottingham,
  Malaysia), Katarzyna Ancuta (Assumption University of Thailand), Thomas
  Barker (University of Nottingham, Malaysia), Annette Hamilton (University
  of New South Wales), David Hanan (Monash University) and Rolando Tolentino
  (University of the Philippines, Diliman).
  The workshop will take place at Monash University Malaysia, located just
  outside Kuala Lumpur: http://www.monash.edu.my/
  If you are interested in participating please submit a 300-word abstract
  for a paper along with a short bio to Jonathan Driskell (
  jonathan.driskell@monash.edu) by 10 August 2016 (new extended deadline).
  DR JONATHAN DRISKELL
  Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Course Coordinator
  School of Arts and Social Sciences
  Monash University Malaysia
  Jalan Lagoon Selatan
  47500 Bandar Sunway
  Selangor Darul Ehsan
  Malaysia
  T: (+603) 5514 6128
  F: (+603) 5514 6365
  E: jonathan.driskell@monash.edu
  Staff profile:
  http://www.sass.monash.edu.my/staff/academic/dr-jonathan-driskell

The Schedule of ASEASUK conference is Out!

The schedule of Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the UK (ASEASUK) Conference is out:

https://www.soas.ac.uk/cseas/aseasuk-conference-2016/file113016.pdf

Our panel is "Panel 15: The Politics of Taste in Southeast Asian Cinema": Sunday, 18 September 2016, 11:15- 1:15pm.

Another film-related panels:

Saturday, 17 September 2016

Panel 41: Emerging Trends in Southeast , Asian Literatures and Screen Cultures (Session 1), 2:15- 4:15pm

Panel 41: Emerging Trends in Southeast Asian Literatures and Screen Cultures (Session 2), 4.30-6.30pm.

Sunday, 18 September 2016

Panel 22: Southeast Asian Visual and Aural Experience

in History and Today, Sunday, 9-11am

Panel 49: Southeast Asian Identity and History in Film, 2:15- 4:15pm

Panel 22: Southeast Asian Visual and Aural Experience

in History and Today, Sunday, 9-11am

List of panels and abstracts: https://www.soas.ac.uk/cseas/aseasuk-conference-2016/file111654.pdf

See you at SOAS!