International conference to explore resistance cinema from theory to practice

The secretariat of the 9th edition of the Resistance International Film Festival has announced a call for papers for the international conference “Resistance Cinema: From Theory to Practice,” inviting researchers, academics, filmmakers, artists and cultural and media experts to examine the theoretical foundations and practical dimensions of resistance cinema

News ID: ۳۸۶۵۱۰

سه‌شنبه - ۰۲ آذر ۲۰۲۶ / 2026 02 September

The secretariat of the 9th edition of the Resistance International Film Festival has announced a call for papers for the international conference “Resistance Cinema: From Theory to Practice,” inviting researchers, academics, filmmakers, artists and cultural and media experts to examine the theoretical foundations and practical dimensions of resistance cinema.

The conference seeks to explore the theoretical foundations, artistic capacities and social functions of resistance cinema, with an emphasis on its role beyond the conventional representation of war and armed conflict.

According to the organizers, the event will approach resistance cinema not merely as a cinematic genre or a body of films dealing with conflict, but as a cultural, intellectual and civilizational discourse. The discourse seeks to represent nations’ resistance to imperialism, colonialism, domination and hegemonic structures, while presenting narratives centered on liberation and justice as alternatives to one-sided narratives produced by dominant powers.

Within this framework, the concept of resistance will be examined through the perspective of Islamic discourse, the ideals of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, and the thought of Imam Khomeini (RA) and other Iranian religious and political thinkers.

The conference will also examine resistance as a phenomenon extending beyond military and political arenas. Its organizers intend to explore its relationship with identity, culture, collective memory, the pursuit of justice, independence, human dignity and peoples’ right to determine their own destinies.

“Resistance Cinema: From Theory to Practice” aims to provide a platform for academic and artistic dialogue on the relationship between cinema and social developments, liberation movements and the historical experiences of nations that have resisted domination.

Among the main topics of the conference are the philosophical and aesthetic foundations of resistance cinema, the relationship between form and resistance-oriented content, and the role of cinema in representing opposition to imperialism and hegemonic power.

The conference will also focus on cinema and collective memory, narratives of resistance in the Muslim world, the cinematic experience of Iran’s Sacred Defense, the impact of the Islamic Revolution on the development of resistance literature and art, and the opportunities and challenges facing resistance cinema in the era of new media.

The organizers have invited university professors, researchers, students, filmmakers and experts in cinema, cultural studies, political science, sociology, media, history, philosophy and the arts to contribute scientific papers and analytical research to the conference until September 11.

The event seeks to bridge theoretical knowledge and artistic experience and contribute to the development of credible academic literature on resistance cinema. It will also explore indigenous models of storytelling and ways of strengthening cinema’s capacity to represent narratives of truth, freedom and resistance.

Selected papers will undergo academic evaluation and will subsequently be published in the conference proceedings.

The Resistance International Film Festival, which organizes the conference, is one of Iran’s major cinematic events focusing on films and artistic works addressing resistance, social justice, independence and historical struggles.