[UPDATE] International Conference: Film Adaptation: Theory, Practices, Reception - May 2017 Thessaloniki

full name / name of organization: 
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Film Adaptation: Theory, Practices, Reception

School of Film Studies and School of English
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

May 25-27, 2017
Thessaloniki

Keynote Speaker: Deborah Cartmell

Site: http://filmadaptationthessaloniki2017.web.auth.gr/

Call For Papers
In Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy (2010), the protagonist, author James Miller (William Shimell) gives a lecture in Italy on the subject of the original vs. its copy and says: "the copy itself has worth in that it leads us to the original and in this way certifies its value." Although this phrase somewhat empowers the supremacy of the original, James goes a step further arguing that Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" is the "copy" of the real woman who posed for the portrait, ultimately wondering whether or not every human being is an adaptation since every person is the DNA replica of his/her predecessors. The character's argumentation includes a holistic approach of the adaptation phenomenon while his rather improbable conclusion has interesting philosophical implications.

Nevertheless, James's overall view on the subject complements in a way the main arguments of those academic texts that examine the relationship between film and literature. Almost all authors insist on treating the copy/the film as a significant work and propose to view the relationship between film and literature as an instance of cross-fertilization between the two semiotic systems. After all, scholars maintain film adaptations are best examined if they are viewed as autonomous works of art, independent from their literary source. Yet, the "fidelity" criterion, although avoided in academia, still prevails in media writings by both journalists and regular viewers whenever a canonical novel or play is transformed into an audiovisual narrative. Can academia change the public and media's perception of the novel's superiority? Does the "fidelity" issue arise only when the literary work is considered as "high culture" and not when adaptations from lesser-known novels are involved? What is the most fruitful approach of adaptation? How does one treat video games, graphic novels and comics as sources; and do they bring anything new to film? Do national cinematographies also invest in adaptations the same way America does; and do they offer new paradigms?

This conference seeks to bring together adaptation scholars from all over the world to discuss adaptation in film, propose new theoretical contexts, address problematic areas and examine the new sources, such as video games, that offer characters and plot constructions to contemporary film.

Possible topics include but are not limited to the following:

Theoretical approaches
• Defining Adaptation.
• Evaluating Close Readings and Textual Analysis.
• Articulation of structural analysis with Social Context of Production: Methods and approaches.
• Possible Models of Interpretation/Analysis.
• New Typologies, New Adaptation Categories.

Intertextuality
• Types of Intertextuality.
• Parody, Pastiche and Adaptation.

Adaptation Sources
• From Literature to Film.
• From Theatre to Film.
• From Comics to Film.
• From Television Series to Film.
• From Video Games to Film.
• From News Stories to Film.

Criticism and Reception
• Adaptation and the Media
• Adaptation and the Audience

General Information & Important Dates
• Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be submitted to adaptationconference2017@gmail.com by September 15, 2016.
• All abstracts will be blind reviewed, and authors will be notified of the decision of the reviewers by October 15, 2016.
• The deadline for full conference payment for all presenters is April 1, 2017.
• Should you wish to form your own panel within the conference, we would be glad to review your suggestions.
• Additional questions and inquiries may be directed to adaptationconference2017@gmail.com