The Review/ Video/
Gender, Comedy and Film History
Feminist film historians were brought together for a panel discussion that examined the politics of laughter, race, class, gender, and sexuality in silent cinema
Following a screening of rare silent shorts, this panel discussion brought together feminist film historians for an introduction to the politics of laughter, race, class, gender, and sexuality in silent cinema. The panelists examined under what circumstances women are allowed to be funny in media culture, how gendered provocations for laughter have shifted throughout the history of cinema, and how gender and race are inextricably linked in silent cinema.
Panelists included Laura Horak, Assistant Professor of Film Studies at Carleton University; Denise McKenna, part-time lecturer at University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts; and Alice Maurice, Associate Professor of English at University of Toronto Scarborough. This panel was moderated by Maggie Hennefeld, a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Jackman Humanities Institute at the University of Toronto.
In partnership with the Jackman Humanities Institute and the Cinema Studies Institute at the University of Toronto, this Higher Learning event was held on October 17, 2014 at TIFF Bell Lightbox.