Epistolary culture. Correspondence as a form and practice of film criticism

Cinergie.  Il Cinema e le altre Arti
n. 15 – Edited by Michele Guerra e Sara Martin
Deadline: 20 October 2018

ARCHIVIO CFE

Redazione CUC2Written by:

The history of Italian film criticism holds exemplary and well-known cases of relevant letters sent to film journals by directors, actors, actresses, producers, as well as critics of other periodicals, other countries, and, most interesting, other cultural or political orientation.
The letter as a medium implies a peculiar critical and dialogical attitude, often more suitable than others to have an impact on the debate and to bring out nodal issues capable of shedding a different light on the study of the reception both of films and authors.

It is important to emphasize the role that such an “epistolary culture” has had in the tradition of Italian film criticism, which also includes, no less important, the correspondence that most of the film and miscellaneous periodicals have been developing with the community of their readers.

The special section of issue 15 of Cinergie intends to collect contributions focused mainly, but not exclusively, on the following points:

  • The epistolary culture in the tradition of Italian film criticism;
  • The letter as critical form;
  • The letter as critical training;
  • The letter as a chance for official dialogue between periodicals;
  • The letter as a space of confrontation with artists and producers;
  • The construction of the community of readers through correspondence;
  • The periodical as the place of mediation through correspondence with the protagonists of film industry;
  • Correspondence as a place of expression and elaboration of readers’ desire;
  • The correspondence with the readers as the place of consensus building and control of dissent;
  • Epistolary exchanges in the archives of the film critics.

 

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