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Professor Lizelle Bisschoff is a Professor of Film Studies at the University of Glasgow’s School of Culture & Creative Arts. She specializes in African cinema with particular focus on gender representation, digital technologies, and film festival curation. Her research bridges academic scholarship and practical initiatives, such as co-founding the Africa in Motion Film Festival (AiM). She holds a PhD from the University of Stirling and has held prestigious fellowships including the Leverhulme Trust (2010-2012) and Lord Kelvin Adam Smith (2012-2015). Education: PhD in African Cinema (University of Stirling, 2009) MSc in Cultural Studies (University of Edinburgh, 2005) Research Interests: Gender dynamics in African filmmaking Emerging digital film industries across sub-Saharan Africa Postcolonial cinema and modernist aesthetics Her work emphasizes decolonizing film studies through projects like AiM Festival and edited volumes such as Women in African Cinema . Recent research explores African science fiction and feminist archives. She has secured £115k in grants for film restoration and educational outreach programs. Awards: Leverhulme Trust Postdoctoral Fellowship AHRC Follow-on Funding for Impact (£90k) British Federation of Women Graduates Scholarship Teaching: Convenes MSc Film Curation program Teaches Introduction to African Cinemas and Race on Screen Key Projects: Lead curator for Africa’s Lost Classics restoration initiative Organized international symposia on African art and activism

• Gender and African cinema
• African film festivals
• African film and digital technologies
• +4 more

Dr. Luke Robinson is an Associate Professor in Film Studies at the University of Sussex's School of Media, Arts and Humanities, where he has been since 2014. Previously, he taught at the University of Nottingham's Department of Culture, Film and Media. He holds a BA from the University of Cambridge, an MA and PhD from SOAS (University of London), and a certificate from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. His research focuses on Chinese independent cinema, film festivals as sites of cultural translation, and the global circulation of documentary media. Robinson is co-editor of influential volumes like Chinese Independent Cinema and Chinese Film Festivals , and his work bridges cultural studies, visual anthropology, and media policy analysis. He maintains the Chinese Independent Film Archive and has published widely on topics ranging from Taiwanese subimperialism to the cultural politics of Sundance and CNEX. His teaching spans global cinema studies, film festival curating, and East Asian media aesthetics. Education: BA, History, University of Cambridge MA, Chinese Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London PhD, Film and Media Studies, SOAS Certificate in Chinese Studies, The Hopkins-Nanjing Center Research Themes: Chinese independent film ecosystems, transnational film festival circuits, documentary as public culture, and the intersection of politics with audiovisual media. Recent work examines humanitarian intervention narratives in documentaries and the evolving role of non-state cultural agents in soft power dynamics.

• Chinese Independent Film
• Cultural Studies
• Film Festivals
• +4 more

Jaremey McMullin is a Senior Lecturer in the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, where he conducts research on post-conflict reintegration, youth peacebuilding, and veterans' politics. His work spans academic research, policy advising, and documentary filmmaking, with a focus on Liberia and the United States. Education: PhD in International Relations, University of Oxford (2006) Master of Studies in Forced Migration, University of Oxford (2001) MA in Comparative Ethnic Conflict, Queen's University Belfast (2000) BA in Government (International Relations) and Italian, Georgetown University (1999) His research centers on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), particularly how ex-combatant youth reintegrate through livelihoods like motorcycling in Liberia. He investigates veterans’ return, stigma, and peer support, employing qualitative and ethnographic methods. His 2013 monograph Ex-Combatants and the Post-Conflict State is a key contribution to the field. His recent work explores gendered dynamics in peace processes and youth-led peacebuilding narratives. McMullin’s publications span top journals such as Review of International Studies , Peacebuilding , and Conflict, Security & Development . His recent articles examine masculinities in peace processes, community dialogues in the Mano River Basin, and the role of documentary filmmaking in peace research. He integrates visual media into scholarship, producing acclaimed films like Silkies and Liberia: Legacies of Peace . Scientific Awards and Recognition: Award of Recognition, Close:Up Edinburgh Docufest (2020) Official Selection, Ethnografilm, Paris (2022) Official Selection, Film for Peace, Toronto (2020, 2021) Official Selection, MHSA Film Festival, Colorado (2021) He advises the United Nations on DDR programming, serving on the Research Working Group of the Integrated DDR Training Group. He has led multiple funded projects, including those supported by the Scottish Funding Council. He regularly delivers invited talks and participates in international policy workshops. He supervises graduate research and contributes to public discourse through media engagement and peer review. McMullin is actively involved in research networks and has contributed to public policy impacts, particularly in shaping UN approaches to ex-combatant reintegration. His work supports UN Sustainable Development Goals related to peace, justice, and strong institutions.

• Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR)
• Veterans’ politics and post-war welfare policy
• Youth livelihood and peacebuilding
• +12 more

Dr. Rebecca Wynne-Walsh is a Lecturer in Film, English & Creative Arts, actively accepting PhD students since 2022. Her research focuses on horror cinema, regional identity, auteur theory, and trauma studies, with notable contributions to Basque, Gothic, and African film analyses. She is affiliated with the Television Studies Research Group, ESAL (Spanish & Latin American Studies), and the Emergent Media & Entertainment Research Group. Her work explores intersections of cultural memory, transgression, and decolonial frameworks, as seen in studies of Steve McQueen’s Hunger and post-Franco Gothic fiction. Recent presentations include an oral talk on interactive horror narratives at a 2024 conference. Despite her prolific output, she has not been explicitly linked to awards or grants in the provided texts.

• Horror
• Regional Studies
• Auteur Theory
• +3 more

Professor Stuart Green is a full-time faculty member at the University of Leeds, serving as Professor of Spanish and Popular Culture in the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies. He has been with the university since 2005, progressing from Teaching Fellow to Professor in 2024. His academic work bridges Spanish cultural studies, race, media, and transnational identity. Education: PhD in Hispanic Studies, University of Sheffield (2006) MA in Hispanic Studies, University of Sheffield (2002) BA in Spanish and History of Art, University College London His research centers on Spanish popular culture, particularly how Afro-Spaniards use music to articulate identity, resist exclusion, and connect with the global African diaspora. He critically engages with Paul Gilroy’s concept of the 'black Atlantic' from a Hispanic perspective. His work also spans racial representation in Spanish film, television, and theatre, including blackface performance and the careers of migrant-origin artists like Minke Wang and Santiago Zannou. He has contributed to studies on theatre publicity, cinematic techniques in theatre, and right-wing political discourse in post-war Spanish theatre. Stuart Green is co-convenor of the European Popular Musics Research Group and has co-edited a book on European singer-songwriters and a special issue of the Journal of European Popular Culture. With Prof. Duncan Wheeler, he has analyzed music festivals such as Live at Leeds. His pedagogical contributions include translating José Luis Alonso’s play La estanquera de Vallecas into English as The Granny and the Heist , supplemented with extensive teaching resources for A-level, IB, and undergraduate education. Professional Memberships and Editorial Roles: Member, Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland Member, Editorial Board, Estreno: Cuadernos del Teatro Español Contemporaneo Editor, Neuróptica: Estudios sobre el Cómic Member, Editorial Board, New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film He teaches across all levels of undergraduate Spanish programs, focusing on peninsular culture including theatre, film, novel, poetry, and painting, while also contributing to transnational modules. He emphasizes the use of target language in classroom instruction. He welcomes PhD research inquiries and is actively engaged in research supervision and academic leadership.

• Spanish
• Popular Culture
• Theatre
• +17 more

Dr. Katherine Angel is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London's School of English and Drama and a Fellow at the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences. She specializes in literary non-fiction, with research focusing on sexuality, feminism, gender, psychoanalysis, and psychiatry. Her notable works include Unmastered (2012), Daddy Issues (2019), and Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again (2021), which explore themes of desire, consent, and post-MeToo dynamics. Angel holds a PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from Cambridge University and has held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Warwick and Queen Mary. Previously, she taught at Birkbeck College and Kingston University, where she led creative writing programs. She is also undergoing psychoanalytic training at the Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis. Her research spans medical humanities, queer theory, and feminist critique. Angel’s work has been translated into 13 languages and widely praised in media outlets like The Guardian , New York Times , and Boston Review . She actively engages in public discourse through lectures, podcasts, and festivals globally, advocating for nuanced discussions on sexuality and consent. Her current project critiques the historical tensions between psychoanalysis and feminism. Angel’s academic contributions include publications in History of the Human Sciences , Studies in Gender and Sexuality , and Current Opinion in Psychiatry . She welcomes doctoral students interested in her research areas and collaborates with institutions like the Freud Museum and Wellcome Collection. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges literature, science, and culture, reflecting a commitment to advancing critical feminist and queer scholarship.

• Feminism
• Psychoanalysis
• Sexuality Studies
• +4 more

Dr. Justine Atkinson is a Lecturer in Media, Culture and Society at the University of Glasgow, specializing in Theatre, Film & Television Studies. She holds a PhD in film curation (2023) and is founder/director of Aya Films, a media education company. Her work focuses on collaborative curation, digital platforms (e.g., Curate-It app), and diversity in film distribution. She has collaborated with festivals like Edinburgh International Film Festival and SAFAR, and previously served as Festival Producer for Africa in Motion (2013–2019). Education: PhD in Film Curation, University of Glasgow (2023) Research interests include decolonisation in film festivals, digital curation practices, and media access equity. She teaches across four MSc programs at Glasgow and has guest-lectured internationally, including at South West University, Chongqing (2024). Her projects emphasize democratizing film knowledge through apps like Curate-It, designed to empower grassroots screenings. Her publications explore African audiovisual content distribution, pandemic-era media access, and festival curatorial equity. Grants and collaborations are centered on expanding inclusive film practices. She leads Aya Films' initiatives to bridge educational and industrial gaps in media sectors.

• Film Curation
• Film Festivals
• Media Distribution
• +3 more

Rachel Johnson is a Lecturer in Film Studies at the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies, University of Leeds. Her research and teaching focus on film institutions, particularly film festivals, exhibition, curation, and cinephilia, with a strong commitment to decolonial and critical theoretical frameworks. She actively collaborates with local and international film organizations, including Leeds International Film Festival and Festival Films Femmes Afrique. Educational Background: PhD in Film Studies, University of Leeds MA in European Culture and Thought: Culture, University College London BA in English Literature and Italian, University of Leeds Her research explores cinematic justice, African cinemas, migration cinema, and Italian cinema through decolonial lenses such as pluriversality and the colonial matrix of power. She is particularly interested in how film institutions like festivals and archives value, share, and mobilize cinema, often challenging dominant hierarchies and canons. Her recent work emphasizes marginalized perspectives in cinephilia and co-curation as a decolonial practice. Her publications reveal a consistent trajectory in analyzing ideological structures within European A-list film festivals, especially regarding the representation of migration and Italian cinema. She has developed a method of ideology critique rooted in Lacanian and Žižekian theory, examining festival apparatuses, paratexts, and film texts to uncover power dynamics. Her work spans monographs, peer-reviewed articles, policy reports, and public writing, reflecting a commitment to both scholarly and public engagement. Scientific Contributions and Recognition: Author of Film Festivals, Ideology and Italian Art Cinema (Amsterdam University Press, 2023) Co-investigator on Canada Research Council-funded project Decolonizing Film Festival Research in a Post-Pandemic World Co-founder of the New Voices in Cinephilia network with Professor Stephanie Dennison Active member of NECS, BAFTSS, and IAMHIST Rachel Johnson supervises PhD students on topics including Pan-African film history, puzzle films, and decolonial cinema, and mentors practice-based research in videographic criticism and podcast documentaries. She is deeply involved in public film culture as co-director of Leeds Cineforum and collaborator with Hyde Park Picture House. Her grants and collaborative projects reflect a strong commitment to social justice, institutional critique, and empowering marginalized voices in global film culture. Research Labs and Teams: Centre for World Cinemas and Digital Cultures, University of Leeds New Voices in Cinephilia network (co-founded) Italian Cinemas/Italian Histories project (collaborator) Practice Research SIG, BAFTSS

• Film Studies
• Film Festivals
• Exhibition and Curation
• +12 more

Karl Schoonover is a Professor of Film & Television Studies and Director of Research at the University of Warwick, Faculty of the Arts. He holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Modern Culture and Media from Brown University and has established himself as a leading scholar in film theory, queer cinema, and Italian cinema studies. His educational background includes advanced degrees from Brown University, where he developed expertise in Modern Culture and Media. Schoonover's academic journey has positioned him at the forefront of contemporary film scholarship, particularly in the areas of global queer cinema and Italian neorealism. Schoonover's research explores the relationship between cinema aesthetics and political change, with specific interests in film theory, queer cinema, the representation of toxic waste, non-western cinemas, and Italian cinema. His work examines how cinematic forms engage with questions of realism, temporality, excess, and queerness, particularly how queer cinema makes the world anew through both overtly queer film practices and world cinema's frequent engagement with queerness as a means of establishing global scale. His scholarship demonstrates how queerness allows the world to be visible, known, and palpable across diverse cultural contexts. His publications reveal a consistent engagement with the political dimensions of cinema, particularly how films navigate global flows while engaging with intimate desires. The articles span from 2014-2021 and demonstrate his evolving interests from Italian neorealism to contemporary queer cinema, waste representation, and the geopolitical dimensions of film. His work consistently connects cinematic form with broader social, political, and environmental concerns, creating a distinctive scholarly voice that bridges film theory with contemporary political issues. Society of Cinema and Media Studies Katherine Singer Kovács Book Award for Queer Cinema in the World (2016) Schoonover has supervised PhD students on film theory, film aesthetics, world cinema, queer television, African cinema, Italian film history, and experimental European cinema. He has served as co-investigator on significant research projects including the AHRC Major Research Project 'Producers and Production Practice in the History of Italian Cinema, 1949-1975' (2016-2019) and the AHRC-funded 'Global Queer Cinema' project (2011-2013). His current book project examines cinema as a medium defined by its relationship to waste, analyzing how films use trash to refashion cultural production and value politics. As an active member of scholarly communities, Schoonover co-founded the CinemArts scholarly interest group within the Society for Cinema and Media Studies and serves on editorial boards of the Journal of Cinema and Media Studies and Film Criticism. His collaborative work with Rosalind Galt has been particularly influential in reshaping understandings of queer cinema's global dimensions.

• Film Theory
• Queer Cinema
• Italian Cinema
• +5 more

David Murphy is a Professor at the University of Strathclyde (since 2019) specializing in modern and contemporary Francophone West African culture. His research focuses on postcolonial African cinema, anti-colonial movements, and cultural festivals. He previously worked at the University of Stirling for 18 years. Key contributions include monographs like Sembene: Imagining Alternatives in Film and Fiction (2000) and co-edited volumes such as Postcolonial Thought in the French-Speaking World (2009). Currently, he is writing a biography of interwar Senegalese anti-colonialist Lamine Senghor. Research Interests : Postcolonial African cinema and its socio-political dimensions Anti-colonial intellectual networks in interwar France Pan-African cultural festivals and their legacy Francophone West African literature and theater Recent Work Trends : Recent publications analyze figures like Ousmane Sembene and Lamine Senghor, exploring intersections of cinema, politics, and anti-colonial resistance. His work often bridges historical analysis with cultural critique, emphasizing decolonial perspectives. Grants & Projects : Co-investigator on AHRC-funded project ‘White Thinking’ and the failed promise of diversity in Scottish heritage (2023–2024) Contributor to transnational research on anti-colonial activism and cultural festivals Labs/Teams : Collaborates with scholars in African studies, postcolonial theory, and cultural history through international networks like the Society for Francophone Postcolonial Studies.

• Postcolonial Studies
• Francophone African Cinema
• Anti-Colonial Movements
• +3 more

Dr. Lorenzo Ferrarini is a Lecturer in Visual Anthropology at the University of Manchester, affiliated with the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology. He holds a PhD in Social Anthropology (2014) and a postgraduate degree from the University of Milan-Bicocca (2008). His research focuses on Mande Africa, particularly Burkina Faso, exploring themes like hunting, ecological perception, sound, and embodiment. He is renowned for his work in documentary film, photography, and sound recording, with notable projects including Kalanda: The Knowledge of the Bush (2015) and Living the Weather (2016). Education: PhD in Social Anthropology with Visual Media, University of Manchester, 2014 Postgraduate Degree, University of Milan-Bicocca, 2008 Research Interests: West African hunter-gatherer knowledge systems Sensory ethnography and sound studies Collaborative filmmaking methodologies Cultural heritage in Southern Italy Awards: ICTM Book Prize (2021) for Sonic Ethnography John Collier Jr. Award for Still Photography (2021) Best Ethnographic Film (2015) Teaching: Modules on Mande Africa and visual anthropology MA course Beyond Observational Cinema Ethnographic documentary short course Labs/Teams: LEAV - Ethnomusicology and Visual Anthropology Lab (University of Milan) Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology Leverhulme Trust project on weather experiences

• Visual Anthropology
• Mande Africa
• Hunting
• +6 more

Prof Piotr Cieplak is a Professor of Creative Practice and Visual Cultures at the University of Sussex's School of Media, Arts and Humanities. He holds a PhD and MPhil from the University of Cambridge and has held prior positions at SOAS, Brunel University London, and the Africa Research Institute. His research focuses on visual media's intersection with post-violence memorialization in the Global South and queer narratives in film and literature. He employs creative practice-as-research, producing films, photo essays, and novels alongside traditional scholarship. Notable works include the monograph Death|Image|Memory: The Genocide in Rwanda and Its Aftermath in Photography and Documentary Film (2017) and the forthcoming novel Zofia Nowak's Book of Superior Detecting (2025). His films The Faces We Lost (2017) and (Dis)Appear (2023) explore photographic legacies of Rwanda's genocide and Argentina's dictatorship, respectively, winning awards from the AHRC and British Film Academies. His films have screened internationally, including at Wicked Queer and the Rwanda Film Festival. Cieplak’s research is supported by grants from the British Academy, Arts and Humanities Research Council, and Leverhulme Trust. His creative practice often addresses contested histories and marginalized voices, with a focus on postcolonial and queer perspectives. He currently serves as editor of the Journal of Media, War and Conflict , emphasizing creative research methodologies. Grants: Three British Academy grants (2018–2025) for projects on photographic memory in Argentina and Rwanda. Teaching: Currently on leave as a British Academy Mid-Career Fellow until 2026.

• Visual Cultures
• Documentary Film
• Memory Studies
• +6 more

Dr. Shantel George is a Lecturer in History at the University of Glasgow. Her research focuses on African diaspora cultures, Caribbean history, and global commodity networks. She is the author of the upcoming book *'Yoruba Are on A Rock'* (Cambridge UP), which examines Orisa religious practices among recaptive Africans in Grenada. She leads the AHRC-funded 'Transforming Public Understanding of Grenada's African Religious Heritage' project, collaborating with the Grenada National Trust and Shrine of the Seven Wonders of Africa Inc. to shape educational policies. Her academic work includes studies on enslaved Africans' ethnic origins, liberating Africans' diaspora consciousness, and the role of kola nuts in transatlantic trade. She supervises PhD students exploring Caribbean slavery legacies and gendered aspects of transatlantic wealth. Current external engagements include organizing festivals, film projects, and educational booklets on Orisa traditions.

• African Diaspora Studies
• Caribbean History
• Religious Practices in the African Diaspora
• +3 more

Calum Waddell is a Lecturer in Film at the University of Aberdeen, where he completed his PhD in Film and Philosophy under Prof. Alan Marcus. His research focuses on exploitation cinema, South African film history, and horror studies. He has authored monographs including *The Style of Sleaze* (2018) and *South African Horror Cinema* (2025), and edited volumes on Wes Craven and Herschell Gordon Lewis. He received the 2018 Derby Film Festival Best Film Award for his documentary on apartheid-era B-Scheme cinema. Education: PhD Film & Philosophy (University of Aberdeen, 2014) Grants: Early career research grant for South African B-Scheme film studies (2017) Peer Review: Edinburgh University Press, IAFOR Journal of Cultural Studies, Journal of African Cinemas Waddell has presented at international conferences in Singapore (2017), Ghana (2018), and the UK. His work bridges academic scholarship with practical filmmaking, including documentary productions for Shout! Studios and journalistic contributions to *Dazed*, *SFX*, and *Total Film*.

• Film Studies
• Exploitation Cinema
• Horror Cinema
• +3 more

Nobunye Levin is a Lecturer in Film Studies at King's College London, specializing in epistemologies from the Global South, feminist love studies, and decolonial feminist thought. Her research integrates cinematic experimentation and anti-racist practice, informed by a practice-based PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) and a postdoctoral role in the ERC-funded 'African Screen Worlds' project at SOAS University of London. Education: PhD (Practice-Based), University of the Witwatersrand; Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, SOAS University of London Her work explores intersections between feminist methodologies, decolonial aesthetics, and radical cinema. Films have screened internationally at festivals like Durban International Film Festival and Oberhausen, with academic engagements at UCL, HDK-Valand (Gothenburg), and the Netherlands Film Academy. Teaching focuses on film and media practice, emphasizing critical praxis. Public engagement includes panel moderation at Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival and curated screenings at Garden Cinema. Current affiliations include King’s Department of Film Studies and the Faculty of Arts & Humanities.

• Epistemologies from the Global South
• Feminist filmmaking
• Feminist love studies
• +5 more