معرفی
Paolo Villa is a Type B researcher (fixed-term) in the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Enterprises (DUSIC) at the University of Parma, where he teaches cinema, visual culture and audiovisual theory at both BA and MA levels. He holds a PhD in Historical-Artistic and Audiovisual Studies from the University of Udine and has recently obtained the Italian National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor (SSD L-ART/06, 2023-2034).
Education
- PhD in Historical-Artistic and Audiovisual Studies, University of Udine (2020)
- MA in History of Art, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan (2014)
- BA in Cultural Heritage Sciences, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan (2011)
Research Focus
His work explores Italian and European non-fiction cinema from the post-war period to the present, with particular attention to documentaries on art, industrial and corporate cinema, and the representation of urban and rural landscapes. Additional interests include the intersection of cinema with architecture, photography and the mediatisation of cultural heritage, as well as the history of Italian film exhibition venues.
A second stream of research investigates illustrated magazines, photojournalism and the visual culture of post-war Italy, analysing how periodicals such as Epoca shaped collective imaginaries of the city and the nation.
Publication Profile
Across 15 peer-reviewed articles and monographs published between 2019 and 2025, Villa has consistently engaged with documentary and non-fiction cinema, visual culture and urban studies. His output clusters around three main axes: (1) post-war Italian documentaries on art and industrial subjects, (2) the representation of urban space and architecture in film and photography, and (3) the digital curation and exhibition of audiovisual heritage.
Honours & Qualifications
- National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor (SSD L-ART/06), Italian Ministry of University & Research, 2023–2034
Teaching & Academic Service
Villa currently delivers courses on cinema history, theory and criticism for programmes in Artistic and Performing Arts, Communication and Creative Industries, and History and Criticism of Art and Performance. He is editorial staff member of the journal Cinéma et Cie (section “Beyond Cinema”) and active in AIRSC, CUC, NECS and SISF.
Office & Contact
Office: DUSIC, Art, Music and Entertainment Unit, Pilotta Complex, Peace Square 7A, 43125 Parma, Italy.
Consultation hours: Mondays 15:00–17:30 (in person or online by appointment).
Email: paolo.villa@unipr.it
