[Anthropgrad] Research School of Humanities - Work-in-Progress Seminar - Roger Hillman

[Sharon Komidar]

The Research School of Humanities presents,
 Work-in-Progress Seminar Series 

1- 2.30 pm, Friday 5th September 2008, Theatrette, Old Canberra House

Representing Gallipoli - from National to Transnational Myth?

A/Professor Roger Hillman

Film studies & German Studies, School of Humanities, College of Arts and
Social Sciences, ANU

 

Gallipoli the event was of course an experience shared by a number of
combatants. But Australia's memory of it has frequently claimed special
status, even alongside the 'NZ' in 'Anzac', for Gallipoli the national
myth. Completely different relationships exist now among the combatants
of 1915, and representations of Gallipoli have emerged recently which
themselves reflect more global tendencies. While the national element of
Gallipoli reception remains firm in Australia, this paper will presents
two texts whose perspectives are very different, the novel Birds without
Wings (2004) by Louis de Bernières, and the documentary film Gallipoli:
The Front Line Experience (2005) by Tolger Örnek.

 

The topic impinges on a number of recent debates within the discipline
of history. Memory studies, film and history issues, documentary within
film and history, narrative elements in historical accounts, whether
Kokoda should replace Gallipoli as an icon of nationhood, how Australian
history should be taught in the classroom - these alone make it a rich,
but very slippery topic. But perhaps the major issue to emerge is: how
can history, and how can film and literature, approach myth?

 

Dr Roger Hillman is a reader in the German Studies Program in the School
of Language Studies and in the Film Studies Program in the School of
Humanities, ANU.  His research interests include European literature
(especially German and French), European Cinema (especially German and
Italian), music, narrative and film music.

 

Convenors: Ken Taylor and Stephen Foster
For general enquiries please contact: 
Phone: 6125 2434
Email: administration.rsh at anu.edu.au 
Web: http://rsh.anu.edu.au/
All Welcome