Dear Colleague

please note that the conference below includes a panel on ‘Biopics 
in/and French Cinema’ with papers by Raphaelle Moine, Susan Hayward and 
Ginette Vincendeau.

Performing Lives
An International Conference hosted by the Centre for Life Narratives
Kingston University, UK
6 - 8 July 2009

This international conference on Performing Lives follows the inaugural 
conference of the Centre for Life Narratives, ‘The Spirit of the Age’, 
the focus of which was ‘Writing Lives’ (2007). Our second biennial 
conference ‘Performing Lives’ (2009) invites analysis and debate on the 
relationship between life histories and the ways in which they are 
embodied and enacted in performance, across a range of cultures and a 
variety of media: drama, dance, film, TV and video.
Key questions include:
WHY LIFE? What do we aim to achieve in performing aspects of our own 
lives and those of others? What are the pleasures for the 
spectator/consumer of life narratives? How do the aims of film and TV 
makers, theatre-makers and dance-makers differ?
WHICH LIFE? What kinds of lives do different performance-makers find 
interesting and why? What is the relationship between the performer and 
the life performed, particularly in relation to star performances? What 
are the ideological messages inscribed in life histories in performance?
WHOSE LIFE? From whose perspective is the life being told or shown? What 
questions are raised about authority, authenticity and ownership? What 
are the moral and ethical implications of performing the lives of others?
REAL LIFE? How does the performance of life frame questions about the 
relationship between reality, fiction and audience?  Given the 
impossibility of representing the whole of a life, what determines the 
choices made about what elements of a life to perform?

Conference website: www.kingston.ac.uk/performinglives
Conference Administrator:  Lisa Hall, [log in to unmask] Tel: 0208 
417 2853

The conference is taking place at the Penrhyn Road Campus of Kingston 
University London, which is situated midway between Surbiton and 
Kingston town centres.  Both railway stations have excellent transport 
links into Central London.  Registration discounts are available for 
full-time students, unwaged and OAPs.  Online booking required via 
conference webpage.

Organisers:
Adam Ainsworth, Clara Brennan, Prof Colin Chambers, Dr Matt Melia, Prof 
Carrie Tarr



-- 
Phil Powrie
Professor of Cinema Studies
Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Faculty Office
Jessop West 4.04
University of Sheffield
1 Upper Hanover Street
Sheffield S3 7RA
Email: [log in to unmask]
PA: [log in to unmask] (0)114 222 9702

Studies in French Cinema: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/crif/sfc/home.htm

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