CfP: Marcello Mastroianni: the ‘accidental’ star of Italian cinema
A Symposium to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth
Friday 13th December 2024
Italian Cultural Institute, London
Confirmed Keynote Speaker: Prof. Stephen Gundle (University of Warwick)
“I never confronted my work — cinema and theatre — like a real craftsman. I usually throw myself into a new film like into an adventure: because I like the director, because I want to take a trip to the place where the film is being made, abroad or at least away from Rome, because I feel optimistic, and because, after all, it’s all a game. […] I have never played a hero in the traditional sense”. With these words Marcello Mastroianni, playing ‘the game of truth’ with Gideon Bachmann while taking a break from filming Tchin Tchin in Paris, reflected on his 40 years of acting.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Marcello Mastroianni’s birth, the Italian Cultural Institute in London will host a one-day Symposium on Friday 13th December 2024. By reflecting on the cultural and social relevance of Marcello Mastroianni’s “big” and “small” films, as he called them, this study-day aims to critically investigate the “slightly confused intellectual” roles, comedic parts, and literary characters Mastroianni played throughout his career. We invite proposals for 20-minute papers on any aspect relating to Mastroianni’s filmmaking career; suggested topics may include Mastroianni’s performance, stardom, authorship, and collaboration with established directors of Italian cinema, as well as international art cinema (e.g. Fellini, Antonioni, Cavani, Angelopoulos, Scola, and Faenza). If interested, please send an abstract in English of 300 words max. and a brief bio by Friday 19th September 2024 to A.Moroncini@sussex.ac.uk and D.Mantziari@sussex.ac.uk. The language of the Symposium will be English and no registration fee will be requested to attend.