Submissions are invited for the fifth Foreign Language Film Conference, on the theme of Rights and Representations. In this historic setting of the American South, and in conjunction with Birmingham's 50th anniversary remembrance of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, FLFC celebrates civil and human rights. Scholars will consider the question of civil rights in international cinematic traditions. How does film as an art and a genre represent civil rights, and human rights? What are the places of rebellion, terrorism, or non-violent resistance in forging individual freedoms, and how is this reflected in national cinematic traditions? How do international films address issues of discrimination, violence, repression, the struggle for social equality ? On the pedagogical side of the question, how do films about civil rights teach their viewers about international cultural and political traditions and movements ? How are these films incorporated into classroom discussions of global civil rights ?

Submissions are invited for the fifth Foreign Language Film Conference (1-4 nov. 2012), on the theme of Rights and Representations. In this historic setting of the American South, and in conjunction with Birmingham's 50th anniversary remembrance of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, FLFC celebrates civil and human rights. Scholars will consider the question of civil rights in international cinematic traditions. How does film as an art and a genre represent civil rights, and human rights? What are the places of rebellion, terrorism, or non-violent resistance in forging individual freedoms, and how is this reflected in national cinematic traditions? How do international films address issues of discrimination, violence, repression,

Topics may include (but are not limited to) the following general areas:

• Violence of the State against individuals
• Violence of individuals against the State
• Historical representations of civil-rights struggles
• Terrorism
• Individual rights (safety, privacy, speech/expression, thought, religion)
• Anni di piombo, Rote Armee Fraktion, Operación Cóndor, Action directe, Zengakuren, June Fourth Incident, etc
• Springtime of the Peoples
• Legal battles, changes, (re)definitions
• Groups targeted in discrimination (gender, race, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation)
• Civil rights pedagogy–teaching rights through film
• Adaptations of international rights standards
• Cinema as a model–aesthetic interpretations of civil rights debates and developments
• Effectivness : feature vs documentary

Conditions :

Please submit an abstract of 250 words by first of June 2012.

 All submissions should be in English, including citations. Submission should include presenter’s name, contact address and telephone number, professional affiliation and status.
Proposals for complete panels (related presentations) are welcome, but they must include abstracts and contact information, including e-mail address, for each presenter.
Presentations should be no longer than 20 minutes, including any media support.

Scientific committee :

• Dr. Bokobza (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
• Dr. Milliard (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
• Dr. McCullough (Samford University)
• Dr. Peter (Louisiana State University)
• Alex Lanier (student in film studies)

Contact :

For questions or further information, please contact Serge Bokobza (sbokobza@uab.edu) or Rosemary Peters (rpeters@lsu.edu). Check website for additional details on the conference: http://www.uab.edu/languages/flfc