Author: cinemasocialjustice
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A Son of the Devil (1924) and Son of Ingagi (1940): Negotiating ‘otherness’ in Early Black Horror
Mark Fryers In recent years, the history of Black horror cinema has been recovered and rewritten. This post will contextualise two pioneering Black horror films in the lesser-known history of Hollywood cinema, highlighting the relationship between the mainstream and the margins in early Hollywood. Oscar Micheaux is acknowledged as a pioneer of Black filmmaking. A…
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Afrofuturistic Soundscapes: Analyzing how the Black Panther (2018) Inspired Album Redefines Afrofuturism
Claire Henry The release of Black Panther (2018) stands as a landmark in cinematic history. Wakanda, a fictional technologically advanced country, introduces audiences to Afrofuturism, a visionary reimagining of Black reality, where Black voices take center stage. Untouched by white colonialism and powered by vibranium, Wakanda became a symbol of Black excellence, resilience, and innovation.…
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Racial iconicity and Black Audio Film Collective in the 1990s
By James Harvey Having spent several years immersed in the films of John Akomfrah for research purposes, I was very happy to read María Piqueras-Pérez’s excellent contribution on the 1980s Black British workshops movement, published on the blog earlier this month. Following on from this, I wanted to offer some insight on what came after…
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The Black Body as a Site of Consumption in American Horror Cinema
Lakkaya Palmer The black body in American horror cinema becomes a spectacle in many ways. One which is treated as a site of consumption for, typically, a (white) symbolic cannibal who seeks to consume the black body for their own benefit. For example, Jordan Peele’sGet Out (2017) reveals the Symbolic Cannibal in the character of…
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The Radical Legacies of the Black British Workshops
María Piqueras-Pérez Black History Month offers an opportunity to celebrate the cultural achievements of Black Britons across multiple fields, including cinema. During the 1980s, three pioneering Black British film collectives—Ceddo, Black Audio Film Collective, and Sankofa—played a pivotal role in shaping Black British cinema and redefining the representation of Black experiences on screen. These collectives…
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The Tiger on Screen: A Political Animal?
Farah Benbouabdellah “Dangerous” is an adjective frequently used when describing tigers, a perception of threat that has perpetuated through years of depiction in films. Over time, this majestic animal has gained significant popularity in the entertainment industry, and especially in cinema. The tiger has been used to represent and convey ideologies, becoming a powerful symbol…
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Environmental Consciousness in The Thin Red Line (1998)
by João Pedro Soares Have you ever seen a war film like The Thin Red Line? Premiered in 1998 by director Terrence Malick, the film portrays the infamous Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the most destructive campaigns in the Pacific during WWII. But, surprisingly, The War is confined to the background, making it a unique film…
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Ace Cake Test
An intersectional Approach to Representations of Asexual Spectrum, in Transnational Video-on-Demand Culture Enes Akdağ According to research on media representations of the asexual spectrum, asexuality is being seriously limited to just characters’ attitudes towards sexual activity. This comes from the majority of annual reports published by GLAAD and the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network (AVEN).…
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Paris is Burning and the World of Xtravaganza
Matthew Peyton We are introduced to the world of Paris is Burning through a steady journey through the streets of New York. From watching the glittering cityscape to looking up at the red neon lights of the ballroom, and being escorted into this other world of fashion, glamour, and beauty. Paris is Burning documents the lives and ongoings…
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Latin American Documentary: The Rise of Third Cinema
Carolina Oliveira Stepping silently amongst the debris laden cobbled paving stones, the smoke streams and charred embers float through the air as burnt cars and buses smoulder softly, like remnants of a great volcanic storm, around me. Engulfed by the angry fires of the enraged mob the night before, these once quiet, charming, colourful backstreets of…
Cinema and Social Justice PROJECT 