Agnes Petho – författare

This collection of essays explores intermediality as a new perspective in the interpretation of the cinemas that have emerged after the collapse of the former Eastern bloc. As an aesthetic based on a productive interaction of media and highlighting cinema’s relationship with the other arts, intermediality always implies a state of in-betweenness which is capable of registering tensions and ambivalences that go beyond the realm of media. The comparative analyses of films from Hungary, Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia demonstrate that intermediality can be employed in this way as a form of introspection dealing with complex issues of art and society. Appearing in a variety of sensuous or intellectual modes, intermediality can become an effective poetic strategy to communicate how the cultures of the region are caught in-between East and West, past and present, emotional turmoil and more detached self-awareness. The diverse theoretical approaches that unravel this in-betweenness contribute to the understanding of intermedial phenomena in contemporary cinema as a whole.

This collection of essays explores intermediality as a new perspective in the interpretation of the cinemas that have emerged after the collapse of the former Eastern bloc. As an aesthetic based on a productive interaction of media and highlighting cinema’s relationship with the other arts, intermediality always implies a state of in-betweenness which is capable of registering tensions and ambivalences that go beyond the realm of media. The comparative analyses of films from Hungary, Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia demonstrate that intermediality can be employed in this way as a form of introspection dealing with complex issues of art and society. Appearing in a variety of sensuous or intellectual modes, intermediality can become an effective poetic strategy to communicate how the cultures of the region are caught in-between East and West, past and present, emotional turmoil and more detached self-awareness. The diverse theoretical approaches that unravel this in-betweenness contribute to the understanding of intermedial phenomena in contemporary cinema as a whole.

This book proposes a groundbreaking exploration into “affective intermediality,” an emerging paradigm that centres on the interplay between media, embodied experiences and material reality. At a time when the scholarly discourse on intermediality is still dominated by researches on literature and mass media, this collection of essays focuses on cinematic intermediality. It delves into the unique position of cinematic images being able to incorporate and to connect to all the other media, as well as being able to generate intense emotions and ethically illuminating experiences. Through investigations into the sensuous inflections of moving images, the volume brings into the spotlight the often overlooked affective potential of intermediality connecting art and life. The chapters investigate a wide array of topics from the representability of feelings and traumatic experiences, from cultural and sensorial entanglements to the gendered gaze and to various affective modalities of getting in touch with the world, including an attunement to non-anthropocentric perspectives. Through in-depth case studies, the book examines how intermedial art practices involving moving images can convey and engender specific sensibilities regarding reality and art. With contributions from both emerging and established scholars, the book highlights films from diverse geo-cultural contexts, also drawing attention to works by and about women. Designed for scholars and students in film and media studies, this book is an essential resource for anyone interested in the affective dimensions of intermediality. It invites readers to engage with critical questions about the emotional and cultural impact of moving images and their intermedial network.