I Cine Bárbaras – International Conference on Cinema and Audiovisual

Dates: October 23 and 24

Venue: Lusófona University – Porto University Centre

Call for Papers

The call for papers is now open for the I Cine Bárbaras – International Conference on Cinema and Audiovisual, which will take place on October 23 and 24, 2025, at Lusófona University – Porto University Centre, bringing together researchers and practitioners from the fields of cinema and audiovisual studies.

Cine Bárbaras – International Conference on Cinema and Audiovisual Arts – is a space for reflection and debate dedicated to gender studies and feminist film theories. The conference will address themes such as representation, representativity, feminisms in cinema, intersectionality, and the role of women and other marginalized identities in film creation and exhibition. By highlighting the diverse participation of women and non-binary individuals both in front of and behind the camera, the event emphasizes the importance of their contributions to the development of new aesthetic and narrative approaches in cinema.​

Conference Topics

The organizing committee invites the submission of papers related to, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Cinema and Filmmakers: The presence of women and non-binary people in the history of cinema in Portugal and worldwide, addressing representations, invisibilities, and filmmakers’ contributions.
• Feminisms in Cinema and Audiovisual Arts: Feminine perspectives and the feminist gaze in counter-narratives and resistance strategies in cinema, the representation of the female body, and the aesthetics of power and violence.
• Intersectional Approaches to Cinema: Exploration of the intersections between gender, race, class, sexuality, age, (dis)ability, and other identity dimensions in cinema production, representation, and reception. Critical reflections on how these intersections shape the experiences of filmmakers and narratives, as well as the visible and invisible power dynamics within audiovisual contexts.
• Women and Non-Binary People in Film Production and Exhibition: Their role in audiovisual production and film festivals, creating spaces of visibility and action.
• Feminist Film Theories: Research on the history of feminist theories and new approaches in cinema and audiovisual studies.​

Interested participants are invited to submit proposals in the form of an abstract in Portuguese, Spanish, or English, with a maximum of 350 words and 5 to 7 keywords, by July 11, 2025.. As propostas devem apresentar de forma clara os objetivos da comunicação, o enquadramento teórico e metodológico, bem como os principais contributos para o tema da conferência. As submissões devem ser realizadas exclusivamente através do seguinte formulário: https://forms.gle/7sjDJ6ZB7Q7BLm9r8

Selected proposals will be notified by July 25, 2025, and authors will be asked to submit an extended abstract, written in English, of up to 1500 words by September 15, 2025.. The extended abstract must include:Title, author(s)’ name(s), and institutional affiliation, 5 to 7 keywords and a short abstract (100–150 words). The body of the text should include an introduction to the topic and objectives, theoretical framework, methodology, critical analysis of the selected data or materials, and a conclusion outlining the work’s main contributions. References must follow APA 7th edition guidelines. The extended abstracts will be published in the ​ open-access electronic conference proceedings.

After the selection of abstracts, participants must confirm their registration. The registration fee is €25 for students and €50 for non-students

Further Publication Opportunities: A selection of full papers will be invited for inclusion in a special issue of the International Journal of Film and Media Arts, subject to peer review.. Articles must be submitted in English and comply with the journal’s editorial guidelines, available at https://revistas.ulusofona.pt/index.php/ijfma/about/submissions . The publication schedule will be announced in due course.​

Form for submission of proposals: https://forms.gle/mxyYCkrAgBU4bRAi8