Deadline for submissions: September 11, 2015.

Since the silent era, film industries have utilized the appeal of stars to advertise and promote films. The success of this model is due in part to their profound influence on audiences as trendsetters and signifiers of an elevated status. In his work Stars, scholar Richard Dyer asserts that stars were initially “gods and goddesses, heroes, models — embodiments of ideal ways of behaving” and have since transitioned to “people like you & me” (21 & 22). As relatable figures, they reflect and represent specific historical moments, movements, and ideology on a global scale and the scope for analysis spans categories of race, class, gender, and sexuality.

Although scholars like Dyer have extensively theorized the connection between stars and their audiences, the discourse has shifted as technology has changed both our interpretation of and interaction with contemporary stars, as well as revive the careers of icons in bygone eras. Fandoms have developed in online forums and communities where “fanboys” and “fangirls” bond over specific films, episodes, and interviews that draw attention to both performance and star quality. Furthermore, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have seemingly closed a gap between stars and their devoted audiences; fans feel they have a glimpse into the personal lives of celebrities without interference. Among academics, new relationships with fans have emerged from these technological developments and brought about fandom centric conferences and scholarly publication series that connect stars to fans. Cinephile 11.2 aims to further this scholarly analysis of stardom and extract current readings on the status of stars in this technological age.

With both historical and contemporary examples in mind, Cinephile 11.2 seeks submissions that analyze stars and their multi-faceted roles in film and television. We welcome theoretical papers that focus on stars and the constructedness of their onscreen image, case studies on specific stars and their personas, and approaches to stardom with interdisciplinary methodologies (including ethnographical and sociological) that focus on star/audience relations and fan communities.

More details available here.

Incoming editor: Hilary Hulsey

Incoming artist(s): Julia Carnevali, Amy Presley