CFP: Special Issue of the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television

Call for Papers

Special Issue of the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television

Dissent and Dissidents in Central and Eastern European Film

Following the establishment of the «people´s democracies» in Central and Eastern Europe after World War II, Lenin´s dictum about «film being the most important art» brought change in terms of an improved infrastructure for film production. Often, the Soviet film was seen as a role model for the other Socialist states. The establishment of Socialist film schools or academies, for example, in Czechoslovakia (Prague 1947), Poland (Łódz 1948), Yugoslavia (Belgrade 1948), Romania (Bucuresti 1950), Bulgaria (Sofia 1948), Hungary (Budapest 1948) and the GDR (Potsdam 1954), were all emulated in one way or another after Moscow´s famous VGIK, the first state film school in the world. The idea was, of course, that film was considered an important medium for propaganda and persuasion and that it was necessary to secure Socialist-minded ”cadres” for this cause.

Yet, despite all measures to carefully regulate the film industry, the level of control varied significantly over time and in the different countries – despite the fact that film, for a number of reasons, lends itself to control. Alternative voices, as a number of examples demonstrate, could be heard in all of the Warsaw Pact states. By looking at filmmaking, exhibition and reception, film education and film criticism, this themed issue of the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television considers dissent and dissidents in Central and Eastern European film during the Cold War and its aftermath.

The Journal has a particular historical/archival focus. We especially, but not exclusively, encourage contributions on the following topics and approaches:

Confrontations with the hegemonic ideology
Questions of censorship
Questions concerning relationship with the audience
Trans-national aspects, including the exchange of ideas with other states in the Soviet sphere of interest and the relationship with West European and American film industries,
Different phases of dissent and dissidents, including the post-1968 years and and the New Left

Please submit an abstract of 250-300 words and a brief biography before 1 May 2020 to the guest editors, Tobias Hochscherf (tobias.hochscherf@fh-kiel.de), Bjørn Sørenssen (bjorn.sorenssen@ntnu.no) and Rolf Werenskjold (rof@hivolda.no).

Final submissions (7000-9000 words) are due on 1 November 2020.

Only submissions that follow Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television notes for contributors will be considered (https://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?show=instructions&journalCode=chjf20). All submissions are subject to approval by the blind peer-review process of the journal.