We live in a time marked by uncertainty, yet such historical junctures are not unprecedented. The 1980s likewise represented a period of profound instability and transition across multiple regions. In Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, this decade culminated in the fall of socialism, while in China it witnessed the transformation of Maoism into what became known as “socialism with Chinese characteristics.” These developments reoriented all the societies in question from relative cultural isolation to increasingly market-oriented and globally integrated economies in the 1990s.

This panel seeks to explore how the cinemas of Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and China in the 1980s reflected, registered, or anticipated these historical transformations. We invite papers that address the aesthetic, political, and philosophical dimensions of film production during this pivotal decade. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

- Chernukha cinema and other realist or dark trends in late-Soviet filmmaking;

- The 1980s works of Béla Tarr, Tomasz Zygadło, and Krzysztof Kieślowski, particularly their use of noir or neo-noir aesthetics to depict moral and social decay;

- The early films of Tian Zhuangzhuang, from Rock ’n’ Roll Kids (摇滚青年) to the banned and later re-released Unforgettable Life (特别手术室);

- The contributions of Xie Jin, Wu Tianming, Chen Kaige, Huang Jianxin, and other 5th generation directors to the cinematic discourse of reform-era China.

By bringing together analyses of these diverse yet contemporaneous film cultures, the panel aims to foster a comparative discussion on how filmmakers across socialist and post-socialist contexts used visual language to confront systemic change, uncertainty, and disillusionment. Ultimately, we seek to identify points of convergence and divergence between Eastern European and Chinese cinemas of the 1980s, illuminating the shared aesthetic responses to crisis and transformation that transcend regional boundaries.

If approved, the panel will be part of an on-site conference to be held at NUS in Singapore on 25-26th June, 2026, and will be chaired by Lucian Tion, whose research interests include Eastern European and Chinese cinemas. Please send a 300-word abstract for a presentation of your paper to lucian.tzion@gmail.com. You will need to be able to present on site in Singapore. The deadline for abstract submission is Nov 14, 2025.