Exodus and the 21st Century Bible Film
| A Centre for Biblical Studies workshop | |
|---|---|
| Date | 26 - 27 March 2015 |
| Provider | Centre for Biblical Studies |
Event details
Workshop announcement: Exodus and the 21st Century Bible Film, 26-27 March 2015
David Tollerton
Bible films are currently undergoing an intriguing renaissance. 2014 saw two big-budget representations of the Hebrew Bible in the form of Noah and Exodus:Gods and Kings, and more cinematic treatments of biblical material are on their way: Mary and Last Days in the Desert in 2015, and Redemption of Cain, Ridley Scott’s follow-up David and a host of Jesus films all currently in development. In one sense the Bible’s representation in film had never really disappeared, with biblical allusions and archetypes scattered across 21st century cinema. However, Noah, and more recently, Exodus: Gods and Kings are of a different order, using A-list Hollywood stars to directly depict Bible stories for a contemporary multiplex audience. They are also contentious films, both facing controversies surrounding the ethnicity of their cast and religious communities uncertain at the prospect of their sacred texts being appropriated by secular filmmakers.
Using the recently released Exodus as an initial focal-point, this workshop will consider the wider phenomenon of 21st century Bible films, aiming to establish foundations for ongoing research and collaborations.
Presentations will be given by:
- Nathan Abrams (Bangor University)
- Katie Edwards (University of Sheffield)
- Michelle Fletcher (Kings College London)
- Jon Morgan (University of Chester)
- David Shepherd (Trinity College Dublin)
- Samuel Tongue (University of Glasgow)
- David Tollerton (University of Exeter)
- Catherine Wheatley (Kings College London)
- Phil Wickham (Bill Douglas Cinema Museum)
The workshop is free, but because space is limited please contact me (d.c.tollerton@exeter.ac.uk) by 1 March 2015 if you would like to participate.
The event is affiliated with several research groups based at the University of Exeter:
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
Centre for Biblical Studies
Centre for Interdisciplinary Film Research
Network for Religion in Public Life
