Conference: Collective Memory in Contemporary Fiction Films

University of Ottawa, June 11-12, 2026  

Abstract: Collective memory and remembrance occupy an important place in film: whether through various themes that explore individual and national histories of; through the act of spectating (the act of watching a film), where the audience contributes their interpretation of the film; or where the audience uses their own memories to make sense of the narrative.

Collective memory was first thoroughly explored by sociologist Maurice Halbwachs, who, in his 1925 book Les cadres sociaux de la mémoire, proposed new ways of envisioning memory as a mosaic of common and shared experiences contributed to by many individuals. More specifically, Halbwachs stated that collective and individual memories seem to represent unity rather than disparity because personal memories are viewed through the perspective of a group or collective “whose presence is essential for triggering and validating instances of remembrance” (Isurin, 2017, 10). One of the major issues that has arisen from studying memory, along with the search for the right terminology – is, for example, the adoption of the terms “remembrance” and “remembering” to reflect “the dynamic nature of the memory process” (Isurin, 2017, 11).

Collective memory has since been understood and defined in many ways and through various lenses including psychoanalysis, history, sociology, etc.). Over time and especially in the last twenty-five years, authors such as Boyer and Wertsch (2009) have called for “breaking the boundaries of discipline” in order to explore the phenomenon of human memory (ibid, 11). The discipline of film studies is perhaps one of the most interesting areas in terms of interdisciplinarity and breaking down of boundaries between fields of research. It often integrates, distorts and repositions definitions and concepts from various disciplines with much fluidity. Moreover, a vast array of films demonstrates this connection that exists between the individual and the collective, between the personal and the political. Personal stories (e.g. narratives surrounding residential schools told by Indigenous filmmakers) become the stories of entire nations. In the last quarter century or so, scholars such as Martin Lefebvre and Jay Winter have explored the connection between memory and imagination in the experience of film (Lefebvre, 2017) as well as the ways in which movies depict and shape our understanding of memory, both individual and collective, often employing a “matrix” of visual culture and narrative to create a new reality” (Winter, 2001). Recently, there has also been efforts to restore and preserve life vulnerable film archives (e.g. through the SSHRC funded project Archive-Counter-Archive), thus contributing to the survival of the collective and cultural memories of Indigenous, women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

Although the theme of collective memory/remembering has been particularly prevalent regarding documentary and or autobiographical short films, research on feature-length fiction films and their rendering of collective memory/remembering is (to our knowledge) rare. Thus, through this conference, we seek to answer some of the following questions:How have transformations in personal and collective memory been processed and/or initiated in feature-length fiction films made in the last 25 years? How is postmemory, which is defined as “the relationship of the second generation to powerful, often traumatic, experiences that preceded their births” (Hirsch, 2008) illustrated in fiction films? What does it mean for a collectivity to engage in the act of “remembering” through filmmaking? What is the relevance and significance of having their memories and/or the memories of their nations, families, and ancestors represented through film? How does an individual story become collective (i.e. how does the personal become political)? In these works, how is nostalgia (both positive and negative) instrumentalized, and how does it serve its characters?

The aim of this conference is to provide a forum for scholars to explore the role of collective memory and remembrance in relation to foundational themes represented through contemporary (post 9/11) films. Although we have identified several central thematic streams below, we encourage interested scholars to treat these themes as guidelines within the broader conference theme of “Collective Memory in Film.” These themes and thematic strands may be interpreted widely and are intended to have a wide historical, geographical, social, and cultural range. We strongly encourage the exploration of films made by BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, women and exilic filmmakers.

Thematic Streams

• Resilience and Resistance: in what ways has the act of remembering and commemorating contributed to overcoming difficult pasts and resisting undemocratic movements and colonialism? (e.g. Of Ravens and Children, Arnait Video Productions; 2015, Bamako, Abderrahmane Sissako, 2006).
• Intergenerational Transmission: How does the intergenerational transmission of memory take place in film? How are intergenerational conflicts represented? How does this sharing process (between protagonists, and between the audience and the film) build collective memory? (e.g. Ida, Pawel Palikowski, 2010; L’Arbre et la forêt, Olivier Ducastel et Jacques Martineau, 2010).
• Postmemory: How have the second-generation of trauma survivors expressed their own relationship with trauma and memory through film? How are mourning and grief represented in these works? (e.g. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi, 2007; La petite prairie aux bouleaux, Marceline Loridan Ivens, 2002).
• Archives: How have visual, written and aural archives been used in films to reignite personal and collective memories? What are the archiving practices that can serve as examples to follow or demonstrate risks and challenges? (e.g. Everything is Illuminated, Liv Schriber, 2005; Beans, Tracey Deer, 2020.).
• Trauma, Affect, and Emotion: How do trauma and emotional responses affect remembrance in films?  (e.g. Ru, Charles-Olivier Michaud and Kim Thuy, 2023; Coming Home, Yimou Zhang, 2014).
• Migration and (Post)Colonialism: How do colonial histories and migration experiences shape remembrance and collective memory and identity? What can we learn, about remembrance and collective memory from marginalized groups through film? (e.g. Kanaval, Henri Pardo, 2023; The Namesake, Mira Nair, 2006).
• Intersectionality, Race, Sexuality and Gender: How have race, sexuality, socio-economic class, and gender shaped memory practices (including remembrance) and historical narratives in film? (e.g. Atlantique, Mati Diop, 2019; 120 battements par minute, Robin Campillo, 2017).
• Space and Territory: What role does the relationship to place and space play in regard to individual and collective memory?Which spaces are shared, and which are contested or divided? (e.g. Littoral, Wajdi Mouawad, 2004; Maria Chapdelaine, Sébastien Pilote, 2021).
• Nostalgia: What role does nostalgia (both positive and negative) play regarding individual and collective memory? (e.g. I’m Still Here, Walter Salles, 2024; Good Bye Lenin!, Wolfgang Becker, 2003).
• Voices of Memory: Which voices are heard and which are not in collective memory processes? (e.g. The Old Oak, Ken Loach, 2023; The History of Sound, Oliver Hermanus, 2025).

The conference will take place at the University of Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) on Thursday and Friday June 11-12, 2026. The establishment of a virtual panel is a possibility, depending on the circumstances. You can send your abstract of 250-300 words, along with your affiliation and short bio, before January 12th, 2026, to either:

Karine Bertrand: kb162@queensu.ca

Florian Grandena: florian.grandena@uottawa.ca

Claire Gray: Claire.gray@dal.ca

You will be advised if your abstract has been accepted before January 20th, 2026.

Bibliography

Boyer, Pascal, and James V. Wertsch, eds. Memory in Mind and Culture. Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Halbwachs, Maurice. Les cadres sociaux de la mémoire. Albin Michel, 2009.

Hirsch, Marianne. "The Generation of Postmemory." Poetics today 29, no. 1 (2008): 103-128.

Isurin, Ludmila. Collective Remembering: Memory in the World and in the Mind. Cambridge University Press, 2017.

Lefebvre, Martin. "On Memory and Imagination in the Cinema." New Literary History 30, no. 2 (1999): 479-498.

Winter, Jay. "Film and the Matrix of Memory." The American Historical Review 106, no. 3