A Multimethod Study on Contemporary Young Audiences and Their Film/Cinema Discourses and Practices in Flanders, Belgium

Abstract

Abstract This chapter investigates the role films and cinema play in young people’s everyday lives. The objective is to test Henry Jenkins’s concept of “convergence culture” with young film audiences. The first part of the chapter is an overview of contemporary theories about film audiences in the digital age in which young people are at the forefront of participation in new technologies. Arguments celebrating audiences’ newfound agency through the use of personalized media channels that allows them to pursue individual preferences are contrasted with arguments about structured limitations and corporate strategies. The second part of the chapter reports on a survey of young people in Flanders, Belgium, which asked the questions: Is cinema still relevant in popular youth culture? Which screens do young people prefer and use, for which films? Do they engage in activities around film? And is the classical divide Hollywood, European, and national cinema reflected in their discourses and practices? The conclusion reflects on the prominent place film continues to have for young people and problematizes the emphasis on active audiences.