The College of The Bahamas, School of English Studies presents the Sidney Poitier International Conference and Film Festival.  We invite critics, historians, filmmakers, artists and cultural practitioners from around the world to examine the artistic and social endeavors of acclaimed actor, director, author and diplomat Sir Sidney Poitier.

Sir Sidney Poitier, who was born in Miami to Bahamian parents and was raised in Cat Island and Nassau, turns 83 on February 20, 2010.  He remains one of the most recognisable black icons in the entire world.  Widely celebrated but at times criticised for the roles he played during a career that spans 60 years, there can be no serious discussion of blacks in American Film, and no serious analysis of American film history that excludes him.

We seek now to encourage a fresh interrogation of the social, cultural and political significance of the Poitier oeuvre.  We invite papers or panel presentations that explore the broad spectrum of critical issues summoned up by Poitier's work as actor, director and author.  Presentations should be 20 minutes in length.  Papers will be considered for publication in an upcoming scholarly text dedicated to Poitier's work.

Please send abstracts via e-mail to Ian Strachan at istrachan@cob.edu.bs. 

Abstracts should be submitted by July, 31 2009, and should be no longer than 250 words.

Two graduate student travel grants will be awarded.  Those seeking these grants should submit an abstract of 500 words and must submit full papers by November, 30 2009 .

Possible Panel and Paper Topics Include (but are not limited to):

Caribbean Sense and Sensibilities in American Cinema

Constructions of Blackness in Poitier's Films

Representations of Women in Poitier's Films

The Iconic Black Male in America

Black Skin, White Masks

Poitier and the White/Black Gaze

Poitier and the Global Politics of Race and Liberation

Poitier, Bahamian Politics and Identity

Sexing the Asexual

Black Christs and the White Conscience 

Desire, Sexuality and Transgression

Poitier and Censorship

Poitier in the Classroom

The Actor as Activist

Poitier and Film Theory

Poitier and the Black Power Movement

Poitier and the Digital Age

Autobiography and Refashioning 

Poitier as Director

Poitier as Writer

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