CFP A24 and Horror Cinema Collection (6/15/2023)

A24 and Horror Cinema

deadline for submissions:
June 15, 2023

full name / name of organization:
Todd Platts Piedmont Virginia Community College

contact email:
toddkplatts@gmail.com

source: https://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/cfp/2023/03/30/a24-and-horror-cinema

Since its formation in 2012, A24 has curated a distinctive horror (and horror adjacent) oeuvre with films like Tusk (2014), The Witch (2016), Green Room (2016), The Monster (2016), The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2016), It Comes at Night (2017), A Ghost Story (2017), The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), Hereditary (2018), Slice (2018), High Life (2019), Midsommmar (2019), The Lighthouse (2019), In Fabric (2019), Saint Maud (2021), False Positive (2021), The Green Knight (2021), Lamb (2021), X (2022), Men (2022), Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), and Pearl (2022) many of which have been termed post- and elevated horror among other problematic and highly contested sobriquets.

Despite occupying a central position in the production of cinematic horror, A24 has elided academic scrutiny. To date, there exists a small scattering of studies that partially focus on a company that has grown in prominence and commands significant attention from the business and trade press. To fill this gap, proposed collection will offer the first in-depth academic analysis of A24’s horror films.

Suggested topics for this proposed collection include but are not restricted to: 

• A24’s business model (e.g., budgeting, marketing, theatrical releasing, nontheatrical releasing, distribution)
• A24’s production history and/or promotional strategies
• Essays documenting A24’s use of auteurism or director profiles (e.g., Ari Aster, David Lowery, Ti West)
• Essays on significant standalone films (e.g., It Comes at Night, A Ghost Story, Saint Maud)
• A24’s relation to elevated horror
• A24 films and the audience

Please send a 150–300 word abstract and a 50–100 word academic biography to Todd Platts (toddkplatts@gmail.com) by June 15, 2023.

Preference will be given to proposals received by June 15, 2023. All notifications of acceptance will be emailed no later than June 30, 2023. If an abstract is accepted, essays can be expected to be between 6,000 and 7,500 words in length (including references). Edinburgh University Press has expressed interest in the volume as part of their 21st Century Horror series.

Further inquiries should be sent to Todd Platts (toddkplatts@gmail.com).



Last updated April 4, 2023