Paul Flaig

Paul Flaig is a Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of St Andrews, specializing in the transnational and temporal circulation of cinematic forms. His work bridges historical analysis of early 20th-century film comedy (particularly American slapstick and Weimar cinema) with contemporary digital media reinterpretations. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Cornell University (prior to roles at Aberdeen University and St Andrews).

Research focuses include:

• Functional re-purposing of Hollywood comedy in Weimar Germany
• Philosophical reinterpretations of slapstick through Freud, Lacan, and Deleuze
• Feminist media archaeology tracing gendered voice across media eras

Current projects: Weimar Slapstick monograph and Slapstick After Fordism exploring post-industrial comedy forms. Co-editor of New Silent Cinema (2015 award-winner).

Grants include DAAD German Academic Exchange (2025-2027) for German Screen Studies Network and Carnegie Trust funding (2017-2018) for Weimar slapstick research.

Labs/affiliations: Film Studies Centre for Contemporary Art, Journal of Cinema and Media Studies editorial board.