Call for Expressions of Interest

As editor of the Directory of World Cinema: Germany, I am calling for
authors to contribute to the directory. I am seeking short critical essays
of approximately 700-800 words (incl. a brief synopsis) on both notable and
more obscure German films. Established scholars of German cinema as well as
emerging scholars and graduate students are welcome to contribute. To avoid
overlap, please contact me in the first instance with a list of films you
would like to write on and a brief scholarly bio. Direct all enquiries and
EOI’s to Dr Michelle Langford (UNSW) [log in to unmask]

Since the birth of cinema, Germany has held a prominent place as a
filmmaking nation. Along with the rise and fall of the German nation, the
German film industry has witnessed and shaped some of the most important
moments of world film history. Today, with its strong tradition of State
patronage and significant private investment in film industry
infrastructure, Germany remains a strong filmmaking nation and a key player
in the wider field of pan-European and international co-productions. This
volume aims to survey this historical and contemporary terrain through an
examination of some of Germany’s (East and West) most important and
well-known films alongside those that may be less well known, overlooked or
underappreciated.

The directory will be organised into sections according to ‘genres,’ many of
which are unique to Germany. It is expected that, in most cases, it will be
possible to include films from most periods of German film history in each
section. This will enable readers to gain an understanding of how these
‘genres’ have evolved over time and across the complex and changing
socio-political conditions under which filmmakers worked. At this stage
these sections will include the following categories:

•	In the Realm of the Fantastic - Expressionism and beyond (including Weimar
Expressionism and more recent ‘fantasy’ films eg. Neverending Story; Perfume
etc. and others that may be considered to have taken up the legacy of
expressionism either in theme or style)
•	The Heimat Film (incl. more recent explorations of the idea of heimat)
•	Coming to terms with the past (incl. the rubble film & recent war films
such as The Downfall; Die Fälscher etc.)
•	The Wall Film – (separation and re-unification)
•	Foreigners and Guestworkers
•	The Adventure Film (incl. Mountain films)
•	The ‘Krimi’ Film (incl. thrillers)
•	Queer Cinema
•	‘Papa’s Kino ist Tod’ – The Legacy of Oberhausen & Experimental German Cinema
•	Comedy (because Germany’s comic talents are under-recognised!)

Intellect is launching the Directory of World Cinema, which aims to bring a
new dimension to the academic study of film. Each volume will cover the
cinema of a particular region, and will offer analyses of individual films,
longer framing/conceptual essays, and research resources.

For more info, go to: www.worldcinemadirectory.org

Dr Michelle Langford
Lecturer -- Film Studies
School of English, Media and Performing Arts
The University of New South Wales