Project

Back to overview

Die Reise im Spielfilm als Transformationsprozess: eine interdisziplinäre Annäherung an die Beziehung zwischen Religion und Film

Applicant Bühler Pierre
Number 117585
Funding scheme Project funding (Div. I-III)
Research institution Hermeneutik und Religionsphilosophie Theologische Fakultät Universität Zürich
Institution of higher education University of Zurich - ZH
Main discipline Religious studies, Theology
Start/End 01.10.2007 - 31.01.2011
Approved amount 170'869.00
Show all

Keywords (8)

Film; Transformationsprozess; Religion and film; religion and media; religion of the presence; journey; film analysis; audience response and audience theory

Lay Summary (English)

Lead
Lay summary
The Motive of Journey in Fiction Film as a Process of Transformation: an Interdisciplinary Approach to the Interface between Religion and Film

The main objective of this research project is to explore the interface between fiction film and religion from a hermeneutic-religious studies’ perspective. Therefore, the research will be conducted on two levels. On the one hand, the relationship between film and religion of the presence will be investigated from a theoretical point of view, i.e. a top down approach. For this reason, religion and fiction film will be regarded as correlated systems of communication that may be exhibiting complex interdependencies. These potential interactions will be the focus of this study, which will be conducted within the general scope of the relationship between media and religion. On the other hand, this study is based on a film corpus, i.e. employs a bottom up approach: the motive of journey in contemporary fiction film seen as a transformation process. In other words, this study will answer how such transformation processes are depicted: what were the narrative and aesthetic strategies employed by an individual film. Thereby, questions will be answered concerning on which level, to what aim and how (i.e. with what means) explicit or implicit patterns of religious systems of symbols have been utilized artistically. Thus, the theoretic discourse of the first level will be reflected upon by means of film analysis; the results - in terms of achievement or limitations of such a top down approach - will be checked against concrete analytical work on films. This research project explores a so far neglected area of study; it represents a interdisciplinary treatment of the topics of religion and film, combining in its perspective religious studies, film studies and hermeneutics.
Direct link to Lay Summary Last update: 21.02.2013

Responsible applicant and co-applicants

Employees

Associated projects

Number Title Start Funding scheme
124433 Fusspilger- und Backpakerreisen: Ein visuell-anthropologischer Vergleich aus religionswissenschaftlicher Perspektive 01.04.2009 Project funding (Div. I-III)
143564 Film und Religion im Spiegel von Tradierungsprozessen. Untersuchung des religionshistorischen Motivs der «Heiligen Familie» im zeitgenössischen Arthouse-Kino 01.01.2013 Project funding (Div. I-III)
145081 Die Reise als Suche nach Orientierung. Eine Annäherung an das Verhältnis zwischen Film und Religion 01.09.2012 Publication grants

-