Experimental Film, ‘Nature’ and the Ecological Thought
Experimental Film, ‘Nature’ and the Ecological Thought
What is the role of cinema in nurturing an ecological consciousness? How can non-narrative filmmaking challenge conventional perspectives on what we have come to understand as the ‘natural world’? Within the context of climate breakdown and ecological instability, and considering the centrality of visual media in all aspects of our lives, these questions seem vital in developing more ethical attitudes and ways of being. This course will offer an overview of ecocinema and its overlaps with eco theory and eco philosophy, examining the culturally constructed concepts of ‘nature’ and ‘environment’ and considering the complexity of ecological representation. It will explore the radical potential of experimental cinema to uproot traditional representations and to reveal new directions for thinking about the relationship between human and non-human worlds. Participants will be introduced to some key developments in experimental filmmaking as well as the emergence of ecocritical approaches to photochemical film practice. We will examine a a range of theoretical perspectives, assessing their application both to visual representation in general and alternative film practice in particular.


This introductory lecture will look at film through different ecological lenses, considering the relationship between mainstream and alternative practice, as well as questions of technological sustainability.

An overview of the key theories and debates influencing ecocritical approaches to film. We will look specifically at Timothy Morton’s concept of ‘the ecological thought’.

Kapitola obsahuje:
2
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The flourishing scene of photochemical practice is central to contemporary experimental film aesthetics. In this session we’ll explore the relationship between ecology and alternative communities of obsolete media.

Kapitola obsahuje:
1
PDF

How can we move beyond the limited range of non-human representations that circulate in mainstream media? In this lecture, we’ll explore the field of critical animal studies in relation to film aesthetics.

Kapitola obsahuje:
2
PDF

Building on the previous lectures and returning to the work of Timothy Morton and others, this session delves into the relationship between queer theory and eco philosophy.

Kapitola obsahuje:
2
PDF

In this final lecture, we will consider the future of ecocinema within a changing technological landscape, shifting political priorities and counter-cultural communities of foraging and recycling.

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