Centre Director Dr Richard Howells was an invited speaker at a UK Film Council event to launch their latest report: “Stories We Tell Ourselves About Ourselves: The Cultural Impact of UK Film 1946-2006.”
Richard praised the allusion to Clifford Geertz in their title, but (controversially) criticised their focus on “impact” at the expense of “value” and “meaning”, which he found much more interesting and intellectually relevant. You can make your own mind up, of course, by reading the report online at http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/media/pdf/f/i/CIReport_010709.pdf
The other speakers were Professors Roy Boyne (Durham), Christine Geraghty (Glasgow) and Maire Messenger-Davies (Ulster). The panel chairs were Professor John Hill (Royal Holloway), and Sara Selwood, editor of Cultural Trends. The report was presented by the eminent film historian and commentator Professor Ian Christie.
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