Lesbian Cinema After Queer Theory

The book Lesbian Cinema after Queer Theory argues that the increased representation of lesbians over the past two decades has coincided with queer theory's radical transformation of the study of sexuality, leading to new cinematic language that gives desire visual form. It offers close readings of key contemporary films and a broader filmography, provoking new ways of understanding a changing field of representation. The author resists charting a narrative of representational progress or shoring up the lesbian's categorization in the newly available terms of the visible, instead advocating for a feminist framework that can understand lesbianism's queerness.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2020
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Over the past two decades, there has been an unprecedented surge in the representation of lesbians in media and popular culture. This remarkable development has, paradoxically, coincided with the radical transformation of queer theory in the study of sexuality. In her book, Lesbian Cinema after Queer Theory, Clara Bradbury-Rance explores the complex interplay between these two phenomena and argues that this contradictory context has given rise to new and innovative cinematic language that allows for the visual representation of desire.

Bradbury-Rance conducts close readings of key contemporary films, including Blue Is the Warmest Colour, Water Lilies, and Carol, alongside a comprehensive filmography spanning over 300 other films released between 1927 and 2018. By examining these films in the context of queer theory, Bradbury-Rance challenges traditional understandings of representation and offers fresh perspectives on a changing field of representation.

One of the central themes of the book is Bradbury-Rance's rejection of the notion of representational progress or the attempt to categorize lesbians within the newly available terms of the visible. Instead, she advocates for a feminist framework that can recognize and embrace lesbianism's queerness. Bradbury-Rance draws on a provocative theoretical and visual corpus to make her argument, presenting a rich and nuanced exploration of the conditions of lesbian legibility in the twenty-first century.

Through her analysis, Bradbury-Rance reveals the ways in which contemporary films engage with the complexities of gender, sexuality, and identity, challenging traditional narratives and offering new ways of understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. She also highlights the ways in which these films contribute to the broader discourse on gender and sexuality, challenging dominant ideologies and promoting greater inclusivity and diversity.

Lesbian Cinema after Queer Theory is a groundbreaking work that will be of interest to scholars and students of film, gender studies, and sexuality. It offers a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on the intersection of lesbianism, queer theory, and cinematic representation, and will undoubtedly inspire further research and discussion in these fields.

Weight: 328g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474435390