Eduard Cuelenaere | Ghent University (original) (raw)

Books by Eduard Cuelenaere

European Film Remakes discusses for the first time the textual, socio-cultural, political, and in... more European Film Remakes discusses for the first time the textual, socio-cultural, political, and industrial mechanisms and singularities of the film remake in a European context. Offering a variety of historical, theoretical, and methodological approaches, the book is illustrated by a wide range of case studies from across Europe, including films like A Bigger Splash, Open Your Eyes and Perfect Strangers. Although commonly understood as a typical Hollywood practice, this book demonstrates how film remakes are, and always have been, a significant part of the European film culture and industry.

Book Chapters by Eduard Cuelenaere

European Film Remakes, 2021

Introduction to the edited book volume 'European Film Remakes'

Intercultural Screen Adaptation: British and Global Case Studies, 2020

Articles by Eduard Cuelenaere

Media, Culture & Society, 2024

This article examines Netflix's recycling content strategies in the era of streaming cinema. It s... more This article examines Netflix's recycling content strategies in the era of streaming cinema. It starts from the assumption that because of the different institutional logic at work in the land of SVODs, the affordances that recycled content brings may not be as effective (and necessary) as it has been in Hollywood. Using a database-centered approach, we analyze 658 Netflix Original films. Between 2015 and 2022, Netflix released 440 nonrecycled Originals, showcasing a commitment to offering a high quantity of niche films. The dataset equally shows that the percentage of recycled films (33%) follow a linear upward pattern, highlighting the persistence of conservative content strategies. More specifically, (re-)adaptations constituted the biggest chunk of recycled content (68%), as these allow the streamer to quickly fill its catalog with recyclable IP. Netflix's inclination toward sequels (16%), spin-offs (6%), and prequels (2%) aligns with its sequelization strategy, while also leveraging its own IP. Remakes (8%) play a less significant role, likely due to the relatively young age of Netflix's content library. The article concludes that Netflix may, in fact, be less of a disruptive force to the film industry in terms of the diversity of its content creation, prompting further recycling of existing properties.

NECSUS - European Journal of Media Studies, 2023

In the last decade, nostalgia-driven imitative filmmaking – characterised by requels and ‘belated... more In the last decade, nostalgia-driven imitative filmmaking – characterised by requels and ‘belated’ sequels – has become ubiquitous in commercial cinema globally. While the transgenerational appeal of nostalgia in Hollywood has been researched extensively, smaller European film industries like Flanders remain underexplored in this regard. This article focuses on three case studies to investigate how Flemish nostalgia-driven sequels and requels employ transgenerational nostalgia both within
the films and in their marketing endeavours. Compared to Hollywood’s consistent 1980s nostalgia strategy, Flemish cinema employs nostalgia as a short-term commemorative tactic, celebrating Flemish pop culture artefacts of the recent past instead of the past itself.

European Journal of Health Communication, 2021

As a much-used data collection method in qualitative research, interviewing is a primary way to m... more As a much-used data collection method in qualitative research, interviewing is a primary way to make sense of social life. However, critics point out that interviews are often used uncritically and unreflectively, without considering epistemological foundations and self-presentation efforts by interviewees. By way of a two-step, theory-driven qualitative thematic analysis, this study examines how Belgian middle-aged and older adults (51-79 years old) construct their selfidentity in research interviews as sensible internet users with regards to online health information (OHI) and their motivations for doing so. The findings are underpinned by a theoretical framework which enhances impression management (IM) theory with the thirdperson effect (TPE). The study finds that respondents engage in various IM behaviours, including instances of the TPE, to maximise positive impressions and minimise negative impressions. Through IM, interviewees 1) respond to critical questions; 2) proactively demonstrate knowledge, accomplishments, and positive outcomes; 3) compare and distance oneself from others; and 4) communicate limitations and offer external explanations. The findings contribute to the scant literature on IM in research interviews and among older adults and carry various implications for the field of health communication and beyond, such as the importance of critically reflecting on interviewing and going beyond the face value of the data. Self-Identity and Online Health Information Usage Huisman et al.

International Journal of Cultural Studies, 2020

Striving for a more holistic approach of the field that studies film remakes, this article analys... more Striving for a more holistic approach of the field that studies film remakes, this article analyses the reception context of the monolingual film remake practice in the Low Countries. Instead of assuming how audiences define, perceive, experience, and evaluate Dutch-Flemish film remakes, this article explores these aspects empirically by analysing data from four focus groups. Given the cultural proximity between the Netherlands and Flanders, the study equally inquires if (and why) Dutch and Flemish audiences prefer their local film versions. It is found that participants do not share a common definition of the artefact and understand the label differently from scholars or people working in the industry. Participants were highly critical of film remakes and generally preferred the local version. However, it appeared that the latter depended on whether they knew which version was the ‘original’.

Adaptation, 2020

Though current research on the film remake phenomenon acknowledges an underlying industrial proce... more Though current research on the film remake phenomenon acknowledges an underlying industrial process, it rarely analyses it. Therefore, building on expert interviews with people working in the remake industries of the Low Countries, this article places the production aspect of the film remake process central. The findings suggest that the manner in which these cultural mediators describe and evaluate the film remake mirrors popular discourses and seems to affect the production process of film remakes themselves. It was found that the phenomenon is generally seen as the result of a lack of originality, authenticity and is, moreover, highly commercially driven. These aspects were found to sometimes function as a license for initiating remake projects. However, next to the financial benefits, other personal and creative rationales were advanced. Additionally, the element of localization was deemed as one of the most essential tactics in the creative process. Finally, distributors appear to be crucial figures in the emergence of film remakes in small geo-linguistic film markets.

Adaptation, 2020

This article argues that, after decades of pointing towards the importance of including productio... more This article argues that, after decades of pointing towards the importance of including
production and reception research into the study of film remakes, we should actually start addressing production and reception methodologies and investigate why this is necessary for the sustainability and future development of the field. I argue that a lot can be learned from the insights coming from the existing methodologies that are being used in, that is, format studies, (critical) media industry studies, (audiovisual) translation studies, and more recently the study of cultural transduction. The first section of the article mainly deals with the importance of investigating the different cultural mediators that take part in the production lifecycle of the film remake. It is contended that the analysis of film remakes should start examining the different individuals or institutions that mediate or intervene between the production of cultural artefacts and the generation of consumer preferences. The second part of the article points towards the importance of investigating the reception, experience, and interpretation of film remakes. It is shown that crucial questions like ‘(why) do audiences prefer the domestic remake over the foreign film?’, ‘how do audiences experience, interpret, and explain differences and similarities between source films and remakes?’, but also ‘how do audiences define and assess film remakes?’ remain yet to be asked. The article concludes that if the field of remake studies wishes to break out of its disciplinary boundaries, adopting a multi-methodological approach will help to further brush off its dusty character of textual analysis.

Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research, 2019

The practice of Dutch-Flemish film remaking that came into existence in the new millennium quickl... more The practice of Dutch-Flemish film remaking that came into existence in the new millennium quickly appeared to be of great importance in the film industries of Flanders and The Netherlands – and consequently of Europe. Inspired by methods used in television (format) studies, this article conducts a systematic comparative film analysis of nine Dutch-Flemish remakes together with their nine source films. Considering the remake as a prism that aids in dissecting different formal, transtextual, and cultural codes, and subsequently embedding the practice in its specific socio-cultural and industrial context, we found several similarities and differences between the Dutch and Flemish film versions and showed how these can be made sense of. More generally, we distilled two encompassing principles that administer the remake practice: even though a great deal of the remake process can be explained through the concept of localization – or, more precisely, through the concepts of ‘manufacturing proximity’ and ‘banal aboutness’ – we found that it should certainly not be limited to these processes – as both (trans)textual, such as the mechanism of ‘filling in the gaps’, and contextual elements were found.

European Journal of Cultural Studies, 2019

When films are being remade, they undergo several transformations, including changes related to (... more When films are being remade, they undergo several transformations, including changes related to (the representation of) national, disability, and gender identities. By drawing on the case of the Flemish film Hasta La Vista and its Dutch remake Adios Amigos, this article critically investigates the (dis)similarities on these levels through the prism of the film remake. Both films are popular road trip movies dealing with the adventure of three friends with disabilities who overcome boundaries in multiple ways not only by figuratively (and almost literally) escaping their parents and their disabilities but also through traveling, exploring sexuality, and eventually by dying. Although the films deal with almost exactly the same themes, their interpretation and contextualization differ considerably. Our findings show that as a consequence of the localizing processes embedded in film remakes, subtexts which were ‘originally’ ingrained in the source text were ignored or even withheld in the newer version. As the involved filmmakers built on particular stereotypical visions and myths about these specific cultures and national identities, often with the purpose of recreating a socio-cultural context, such narrowed perceptions were occasionally subverted but also reconsolidated. Finally, we argue that, through the remake process, some ableist and patronizing representations of, respectively, disability and gender identities were subverted, while others were kept or even reinforced. Our results show that such transformations point toward specific socio-culturally defined disability and gender identities but also toward a shared and almost universally shaped disability and gender culture.

Tijdschrift voor Communicatiewetenschap, 2018

Against the theoretical background of the concept ‘karaoke-Americanism’, this article compares th... more Against the theoretical background of the concept ‘karaoke-Americanism’, this article compares the Belgian, Dutch and American version of the film Loft. Several (dis)similarities in the representation of sexuality, female characters, and ethnicity, as well as some formal changes, are observed. By combining these results with self-conducted, in-depth and press interviews with the filmmakers of these films, it is ascertained that, although the three versions share a similar use of specific Hollywood conventions, the changes in representation were motivated by perceived cultural differences. Building on known cultural stereotypes and clichés, filmmakers reinforce specific cultural (and national) identities, with the aim of enhancing the recognizability for their local audiences. In conclusion, the Dutch and Belgian filmmakers, in an attempt of localizing the universal, realized a hyperreal version of their own or another culture.

Focussend op de Belgische, Nederlandse en Amerikaanse filmversies van Loft bestudeert dit artikel de relaties tussen interculturele mediapraktijken en de (re)producties van culturele identiteiten. Een vergelijkende tekstuele en contextuele filmanalyse van representaties van vrouwelijke personages, seksualiteit en etniciteit illustreert dat de verschillende versies van eenzelfde filmverhaal gerelateerd zijn aan hun specifieke socio-culturele contexten en aan het concept van karaoke-Amerikanisme.

In this article, we explicitly take distance from what we would call the ‘anti-remake debates’, o... more In this article, we explicitly take distance from what we would call the ‘anti-remake debates’, or a normative standpoint towards remakes. We instead aim for a more nuanced reading of the remake practice. Our argument is based upon an examination of Dutch-Flemish remakes, which from an international viewpoint entail a unique practice that concerns temporally immediate and geographically adjoining remakes that make use of the same Dutch language. This case of monolingual remakes proves to be an original contribution to the field of remake studies, as well as an excellent exemplar in the context of the deconstruction and reframing of discourses about the global remake practice. As a first step, we claim that the non-commercial aura of the European remake should be revisited because the Dutch-Flemish monolingual remakes clearly disclose a similar incentive to the one that often inspires Hollywood remakes: financial gains. Furthermore, our case underlines the need for a more nuanced understanding of intercultural media practices, including the proximity theory. Lastly, we reveal a remarkable discrepancy between the essentialist conception of cultural identity—that is put forward by remake directors—and the constructionist conception, which is dominant in scholarly discussions.

Tijdschrift voor Skandinavistiek, 2017

Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973), the popular television series by Ingmar Bergman, has been said to... more Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973), the popular television series by Ingmar Bergman, has been said to double divorce rates in Sweden. Indeed, a quick look at some social statistics shows a rise of approximately 16.000 divorces in 1973 to an astonishing +26.000 the year after. However, when looking at the wider Western context, divorce rates are similar in the US and other European countries, be it more gradual. More than encouraging divorce, the series most likely touches upon crucial changes in society and conceptions of love and marriage. It is the relation of the series to its social context that we aim to bring forward in this article. We find that Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973) strongly connects to the society it is created in and the changes said society undergoes. Johan and Marianne struggle with the ideal of everlasting passion in marriage. On an individual level, they struggle with their identity within and in relation to their marriage. As the reasons to marry in society evolve from practical to the pursuit of happiness, they struggle to remain together. Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973) provides a rare representation of love and marriage, as it reacts against dominant representations. It does so by showing only true love and respect after a harsh divorce. It is only when marriage as a whole and the banality of everyday life is abandoned that the main characters succeed in loving.

Editorials by Eduard Cuelenaere

Current trends in remaking European screen cultures, 2019

Book Reviews by Eduard Cuelenaere

Other by Eduard Cuelenaere

The film remake, whether as a practice or a concept, has been around since the very beginnings of... more The film remake, whether as a practice or a concept, has been around since the very beginnings of cinema. While the earliest studies of the remake provided general overviews trying to sketch patterns and localize differing practices, this was followed by substantial attempts to define the remake as both a textual and cultural artefact and as a commercial business. Building on adaptation theories, scholars eventually pinpointed the intertextual properties that are inherent to the (relationship between) a source film and its remake(s). These evolutions in the research field spurred the idea of the remake as a kind of prism, which can be used to examine a variety of aesthetic, cultural, economic and social questions. For quite some time, most studies in the field were confined to the Hollywood practice of remaking non-Hollywood films, or, vice versa, non-Hollywood film industries remaking Hollywood films. More recently, attempts are being made to look beyond Hollywood, inquiring into other nations or regions that, for example, remake their own films or the films of neighbouring countries. Notwithstanding these promising evolutions, there is still a lack of sustained research analysing the specific context(s) of European cinema. As a continent, Europe is known for its fragmentation and diversity due to the multitude of different languages and cultures existing next to and through each other within a relatively small geographical area. Although attempts to pinpoint the characteristics of European cinema are always questionable given that 'Europe' is as much a social, contingent and dynamic construction as other geopolitical entities, various cultural, economic and political dynamics grant the concept of European cinema analytical value. Accordingly, the purpose of the symposium is to bring together scholars with expertise in the currently vibrant field of remake studies for a discussion of the dynamics and particularities of the film remake in a European context.

European Film Remakes discusses for the first time the textual, socio-cultural, political, and in... more European Film Remakes discusses for the first time the textual, socio-cultural, political, and industrial mechanisms and singularities of the film remake in a European context. Offering a variety of historical, theoretical, and methodological approaches, the book is illustrated by a wide range of case studies from across Europe, including films like A Bigger Splash, Open Your Eyes and Perfect Strangers. Although commonly understood as a typical Hollywood practice, this book demonstrates how film remakes are, and always have been, a significant part of the European film culture and industry.

Media, Culture & Society, 2024

This article examines Netflix's recycling content strategies in the era of streaming cinema. It s... more This article examines Netflix's recycling content strategies in the era of streaming cinema. It starts from the assumption that because of the different institutional logic at work in the land of SVODs, the affordances that recycled content brings may not be as effective (and necessary) as it has been in Hollywood. Using a database-centered approach, we analyze 658 Netflix Original films. Between 2015 and 2022, Netflix released 440 nonrecycled Originals, showcasing a commitment to offering a high quantity of niche films. The dataset equally shows that the percentage of recycled films (33%) follow a linear upward pattern, highlighting the persistence of conservative content strategies. More specifically, (re-)adaptations constituted the biggest chunk of recycled content (68%), as these allow the streamer to quickly fill its catalog with recyclable IP. Netflix's inclination toward sequels (16%), spin-offs (6%), and prequels (2%) aligns with its sequelization strategy, while also leveraging its own IP. Remakes (8%) play a less significant role, likely due to the relatively young age of Netflix's content library. The article concludes that Netflix may, in fact, be less of a disruptive force to the film industry in terms of the diversity of its content creation, prompting further recycling of existing properties.

NECSUS - European Journal of Media Studies, 2023

In the last decade, nostalgia-driven imitative filmmaking – characterised by requels and ‘belated... more In the last decade, nostalgia-driven imitative filmmaking – characterised by requels and ‘belated’ sequels – has become ubiquitous in commercial cinema globally. While the transgenerational appeal of nostalgia in Hollywood has been researched extensively, smaller European film industries like Flanders remain underexplored in this regard. This article focuses on three case studies to investigate how Flemish nostalgia-driven sequels and requels employ transgenerational nostalgia both within
the films and in their marketing endeavours. Compared to Hollywood’s consistent 1980s nostalgia strategy, Flemish cinema employs nostalgia as a short-term commemorative tactic, celebrating Flemish pop culture artefacts of the recent past instead of the past itself.

European Journal of Health Communication, 2021

As a much-used data collection method in qualitative research, interviewing is a primary way to m... more As a much-used data collection method in qualitative research, interviewing is a primary way to make sense of social life. However, critics point out that interviews are often used uncritically and unreflectively, without considering epistemological foundations and self-presentation efforts by interviewees. By way of a two-step, theory-driven qualitative thematic analysis, this study examines how Belgian middle-aged and older adults (51-79 years old) construct their selfidentity in research interviews as sensible internet users with regards to online health information (OHI) and their motivations for doing so. The findings are underpinned by a theoretical framework which enhances impression management (IM) theory with the thirdperson effect (TPE). The study finds that respondents engage in various IM behaviours, including instances of the TPE, to maximise positive impressions and minimise negative impressions. Through IM, interviewees 1) respond to critical questions; 2) proactively demonstrate knowledge, accomplishments, and positive outcomes; 3) compare and distance oneself from others; and 4) communicate limitations and offer external explanations. The findings contribute to the scant literature on IM in research interviews and among older adults and carry various implications for the field of health communication and beyond, such as the importance of critically reflecting on interviewing and going beyond the face value of the data. Self-Identity and Online Health Information Usage Huisman et al.

International Journal of Cultural Studies, 2020

Striving for a more holistic approach of the field that studies film remakes, this article analys... more Striving for a more holistic approach of the field that studies film remakes, this article analyses the reception context of the monolingual film remake practice in the Low Countries. Instead of assuming how audiences define, perceive, experience, and evaluate Dutch-Flemish film remakes, this article explores these aspects empirically by analysing data from four focus groups. Given the cultural proximity between the Netherlands and Flanders, the study equally inquires if (and why) Dutch and Flemish audiences prefer their local film versions. It is found that participants do not share a common definition of the artefact and understand the label differently from scholars or people working in the industry. Participants were highly critical of film remakes and generally preferred the local version. However, it appeared that the latter depended on whether they knew which version was the ‘original’.

Adaptation, 2020

Though current research on the film remake phenomenon acknowledges an underlying industrial proce... more Though current research on the film remake phenomenon acknowledges an underlying industrial process, it rarely analyses it. Therefore, building on expert interviews with people working in the remake industries of the Low Countries, this article places the production aspect of the film remake process central. The findings suggest that the manner in which these cultural mediators describe and evaluate the film remake mirrors popular discourses and seems to affect the production process of film remakes themselves. It was found that the phenomenon is generally seen as the result of a lack of originality, authenticity and is, moreover, highly commercially driven. These aspects were found to sometimes function as a license for initiating remake projects. However, next to the financial benefits, other personal and creative rationales were advanced. Additionally, the element of localization was deemed as one of the most essential tactics in the creative process. Finally, distributors appear to be crucial figures in the emergence of film remakes in small geo-linguistic film markets.

Adaptation, 2020

This article argues that, after decades of pointing towards the importance of including productio... more This article argues that, after decades of pointing towards the importance of including
production and reception research into the study of film remakes, we should actually start addressing production and reception methodologies and investigate why this is necessary for the sustainability and future development of the field. I argue that a lot can be learned from the insights coming from the existing methodologies that are being used in, that is, format studies, (critical) media industry studies, (audiovisual) translation studies, and more recently the study of cultural transduction. The first section of the article mainly deals with the importance of investigating the different cultural mediators that take part in the production lifecycle of the film remake. It is contended that the analysis of film remakes should start examining the different individuals or institutions that mediate or intervene between the production of cultural artefacts and the generation of consumer preferences. The second part of the article points towards the importance of investigating the reception, experience, and interpretation of film remakes. It is shown that crucial questions like ‘(why) do audiences prefer the domestic remake over the foreign film?’, ‘how do audiences experience, interpret, and explain differences and similarities between source films and remakes?’, but also ‘how do audiences define and assess film remakes?’ remain yet to be asked. The article concludes that if the field of remake studies wishes to break out of its disciplinary boundaries, adopting a multi-methodological approach will help to further brush off its dusty character of textual analysis.

Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research, 2019

The practice of Dutch-Flemish film remaking that came into existence in the new millennium quickl... more The practice of Dutch-Flemish film remaking that came into existence in the new millennium quickly appeared to be of great importance in the film industries of Flanders and The Netherlands – and consequently of Europe. Inspired by methods used in television (format) studies, this article conducts a systematic comparative film analysis of nine Dutch-Flemish remakes together with their nine source films. Considering the remake as a prism that aids in dissecting different formal, transtextual, and cultural codes, and subsequently embedding the practice in its specific socio-cultural and industrial context, we found several similarities and differences between the Dutch and Flemish film versions and showed how these can be made sense of. More generally, we distilled two encompassing principles that administer the remake practice: even though a great deal of the remake process can be explained through the concept of localization – or, more precisely, through the concepts of ‘manufacturing proximity’ and ‘banal aboutness’ – we found that it should certainly not be limited to these processes – as both (trans)textual, such as the mechanism of ‘filling in the gaps’, and contextual elements were found.

European Journal of Cultural Studies, 2019

When films are being remade, they undergo several transformations, including changes related to (... more When films are being remade, they undergo several transformations, including changes related to (the representation of) national, disability, and gender identities. By drawing on the case of the Flemish film Hasta La Vista and its Dutch remake Adios Amigos, this article critically investigates the (dis)similarities on these levels through the prism of the film remake. Both films are popular road trip movies dealing with the adventure of three friends with disabilities who overcome boundaries in multiple ways not only by figuratively (and almost literally) escaping their parents and their disabilities but also through traveling, exploring sexuality, and eventually by dying. Although the films deal with almost exactly the same themes, their interpretation and contextualization differ considerably. Our findings show that as a consequence of the localizing processes embedded in film remakes, subtexts which were ‘originally’ ingrained in the source text were ignored or even withheld in the newer version. As the involved filmmakers built on particular stereotypical visions and myths about these specific cultures and national identities, often with the purpose of recreating a socio-cultural context, such narrowed perceptions were occasionally subverted but also reconsolidated. Finally, we argue that, through the remake process, some ableist and patronizing representations of, respectively, disability and gender identities were subverted, while others were kept or even reinforced. Our results show that such transformations point toward specific socio-culturally defined disability and gender identities but also toward a shared and almost universally shaped disability and gender culture.

Tijdschrift voor Communicatiewetenschap, 2018

Against the theoretical background of the concept ‘karaoke-Americanism’, this article compares th... more Against the theoretical background of the concept ‘karaoke-Americanism’, this article compares the Belgian, Dutch and American version of the film Loft. Several (dis)similarities in the representation of sexuality, female characters, and ethnicity, as well as some formal changes, are observed. By combining these results with self-conducted, in-depth and press interviews with the filmmakers of these films, it is ascertained that, although the three versions share a similar use of specific Hollywood conventions, the changes in representation were motivated by perceived cultural differences. Building on known cultural stereotypes and clichés, filmmakers reinforce specific cultural (and national) identities, with the aim of enhancing the recognizability for their local audiences. In conclusion, the Dutch and Belgian filmmakers, in an attempt of localizing the universal, realized a hyperreal version of their own or another culture.

Focussend op de Belgische, Nederlandse en Amerikaanse filmversies van Loft bestudeert dit artikel de relaties tussen interculturele mediapraktijken en de (re)producties van culturele identiteiten. Een vergelijkende tekstuele en contextuele filmanalyse van representaties van vrouwelijke personages, seksualiteit en etniciteit illustreert dat de verschillende versies van eenzelfde filmverhaal gerelateerd zijn aan hun specifieke socio-culturele contexten en aan het concept van karaoke-Amerikanisme.

In this article, we explicitly take distance from what we would call the ‘anti-remake debates’, o... more In this article, we explicitly take distance from what we would call the ‘anti-remake debates’, or a normative standpoint towards remakes. We instead aim for a more nuanced reading of the remake practice. Our argument is based upon an examination of Dutch-Flemish remakes, which from an international viewpoint entail a unique practice that concerns temporally immediate and geographically adjoining remakes that make use of the same Dutch language. This case of monolingual remakes proves to be an original contribution to the field of remake studies, as well as an excellent exemplar in the context of the deconstruction and reframing of discourses about the global remake practice. As a first step, we claim that the non-commercial aura of the European remake should be revisited because the Dutch-Flemish monolingual remakes clearly disclose a similar incentive to the one that often inspires Hollywood remakes: financial gains. Furthermore, our case underlines the need for a more nuanced understanding of intercultural media practices, including the proximity theory. Lastly, we reveal a remarkable discrepancy between the essentialist conception of cultural identity—that is put forward by remake directors—and the constructionist conception, which is dominant in scholarly discussions.

Tijdschrift voor Skandinavistiek, 2017

Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973), the popular television series by Ingmar Bergman, has been said to... more Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973), the popular television series by Ingmar Bergman, has been said to double divorce rates in Sweden. Indeed, a quick look at some social statistics shows a rise of approximately 16.000 divorces in 1973 to an astonishing +26.000 the year after. However, when looking at the wider Western context, divorce rates are similar in the US and other European countries, be it more gradual. More than encouraging divorce, the series most likely touches upon crucial changes in society and conceptions of love and marriage. It is the relation of the series to its social context that we aim to bring forward in this article. We find that Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973) strongly connects to the society it is created in and the changes said society undergoes. Johan and Marianne struggle with the ideal of everlasting passion in marriage. On an individual level, they struggle with their identity within and in relation to their marriage. As the reasons to marry in society evolve from practical to the pursuit of happiness, they struggle to remain together. Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973) provides a rare representation of love and marriage, as it reacts against dominant representations. It does so by showing only true love and respect after a harsh divorce. It is only when marriage as a whole and the banality of everyday life is abandoned that the main characters succeed in loving.

The film remake, whether as a practice or a concept, has been around since the very beginnings of... more The film remake, whether as a practice or a concept, has been around since the very beginnings of cinema. While the earliest studies of the remake provided general overviews trying to sketch patterns and localize differing practices, this was followed by substantial attempts to define the remake as both a textual and cultural artefact and as a commercial business. Building on adaptation theories, scholars eventually pinpointed the intertextual properties that are inherent to the (relationship between) a source film and its remake(s). These evolutions in the research field spurred the idea of the remake as a kind of prism, which can be used to examine a variety of aesthetic, cultural, economic and social questions. For quite some time, most studies in the field were confined to the Hollywood practice of remaking non-Hollywood films, or, vice versa, non-Hollywood film industries remaking Hollywood films. More recently, attempts are being made to look beyond Hollywood, inquiring into other nations or regions that, for example, remake their own films or the films of neighbouring countries. Notwithstanding these promising evolutions, there is still a lack of sustained research analysing the specific context(s) of European cinema. As a continent, Europe is known for its fragmentation and diversity due to the multitude of different languages and cultures existing next to and through each other within a relatively small geographical area. Although attempts to pinpoint the characteristics of European cinema are always questionable given that 'Europe' is as much a social, contingent and dynamic construction as other geopolitical entities, various cultural, economic and political dynamics grant the concept of European cinema analytical value. Accordingly, the purpose of the symposium is to bring together scholars with expertise in the currently vibrant field of remake studies for a discussion of the dynamics and particularities of the film remake in a European context.