British Radical Screens Symposium, Bush House, Bristol, 3 September 2010

Abstract

On 3 September 2010 the first ‘Radical British Screens’ symposium was held at Bush House in Bristol. The event was organised by Dr Estella Tincknell, Reader in Media and Cultural Studies, and Dr Charlotte Crofts, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies and Video Production, both of the Film Studies Research Group at the University of the West of England, in collaboration with the Screen Studies South West network. The day focused on the diverse ways in which the term ‘radical’ has been deployed in film-making and television, how ‘radical’ has been interpreted within various media traditions, and how it has been adapted to the changing contexts of production and exhibition. Eleven papers were delivered by a mixture of film-makers, experienced academics and PhD researchers from the UK and overseas, reflecting a renewed interest in this area extending beyond the UK’s shores. A central theme focused on how the actual term ‘radical’ resonates in a variety of contexts, from contents and aesthetics to intentions and interventions. This diversity was reflected in the range of papers on offer. Some speakers asked what it means to be ‘radical’ and if this term can be used in considering mainstream products. Others considered whether feminist theory is inherently radical and how aesthetic experimentation can relate to politics. The symposium also considered the relationship between British audio-visual culture and the ‘radical’. Can a ‘radical tradition’ be said even to exist when ‘tradition’ implies continuity and ‘radical’ suggests rupture? How has this ‘radical tradition’, however problematic, impacted upon British film-making practices? And in what ways have institutions such as Channel 4 and the BBC had a role in developing this tradition, influencing subject matter and regulating what can be shown?