Niall Mapplebeck, School of Languages, Cultures and Societies

New Queer Cinema and the Complex Representations of Queerness

The New Queer Cinema movement represented a revolutionary diversion in representation of queerness in film, breaking free from flat, one-dimensional characters and instead attempting to reclaim homophobic notions and stereotypes of queer people by creating rebellious, subversive queer criminals. However, in the movement's efforts to present more complex depictions of sexuality, the mistreatment and glamourisation of specific topic's such as sex work, AIDS and pedophilia present within certain films instead represents a regressive depiction of powerless, traumatised queer people.

BA English and Film Studies, Final Year (he/him)
I am a final year English and Film Studies student. Outside of my studies I have been heavily involved with local film clubs and communities, and am currently part of a 'Young Programmers Group' for an independent cinema in Sheffield, frequently selecting and screening films there. I hope after my Undergraduate degree to further study film and deepen my knowledge of Queer Theory in film and 'slow' cinema from across the globe.