*CFP* "SILVER SCREENS: AGEING MASCULINITIES IN FILM AND VISUAL CULTURES", CONFERENCE AND EDITED COLLECTION

Silver Screens: Ageing Masculinities in Film and Visual Cultures

conference and edited collection

NUI Galway Sept 4-5th 2020

Film and Visual Cultures [TV; advertising; photography; media] are instrumental not only in reflecting but in constructing and reinforcing popular images and narratives of ageing.

As western cinema makers and audiences are “greying”, it is to be expected that explorations of the theme of ageing and representations of mature characters are becoming more popular and diverse.

This is confirmed by the success of recent European films such as Pain & Glory (2019) Toni Erdmann (2016), Youth (2016) A Man Called Ove (2018), 45 Years (2015), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) and Amour (2012), among others. American cinema has also generated a range of texts in recent years such as The Old Man & the Gun (2018), The Mule (2019), Nebraska (2013).

However, despite this increased visibility, critical studies on ageing to date have been largely limited to a narrow range of texts and methodologies, while analyses of gendered ageing have primarily focused on images of older women. Through this conference and resulting publications we aim to redress these lacuna.

Our interest ranges from constructions of ageing masculinity and male characters to considerations about specific national actors/stars, filmmakers (considerations of late style) or audiences. We would especially welcome case studies of European actors whose roles have responded to ageing (e.g. Michael Caine or Gerard Depardieu) and/or the intersections between ageing and national cinemas.

While our focus is particularly aimed at European film cultures, comparative studies with other national cinemas and genres as well as comparative discussions of tendencies in Hollywood and transnational film practice are most welcome.

Potential topics and approaches might include

• Representations of ageing masculinities and: 
• Hegemonic gender norms 
• Stardom and/or Genre 
• National cinemas 
• The body (e.g. sexuality, sports, disability, illness) 
• Intergenerational relationships 
• Queer ageing 
• Memory, history and identity 
• Death, mourning and loss 
• Audiences (festivals, clubs, etc.) 
• Comparative studies of images of ageing masculinities (national, textual, historic)

Please forward a 300-word proposal and a short bio to:

Dr Tony Tracy and Dr Michaela Schrage-Frueh at: Irishmascage@gmail.com

Extended deadline: April 30th 2020

 

The conference and ensuing publications form part of a wider consortium project “Gendering Age: Representations of Masculinities and Ageing in Contemporary European Literatures and Cinemas” [MascAge] funded under ERA Gender-Net + Project under the auspices of the Irish Research Council.