2025 BRUSSELS & ANTWERP, BELGIUM

The 2025 Women and Film History International conference committee is thrilled to announce the Twelfth International Women and the Silent Screen Conference: “Form and Feeling in Silent Cinema."  The conference is hosted by the Université libre de Bruxelles, University of Antwerp, and Royal Film Archive of Belgium (Cinematek) in Brussels, Belgium, from June 11-14, 2025. Please mark your calendars!

Feeling has become an urgent focal point in the development of a feminist, queer and decolonial praxis and theory – whether as sensation, emotion, passion, care, sentiment, or affect – upending a long and well-documented history of dismissal. Women and the Silent Screen XII (WSSXII) invites papers that revisit the relationship between feeling and form across diverse media, modes, and genres, historical and geographical contexts, and against the backdrop of new theoretical, ethical and political constellations. We encourage historiographic interventions into the expansive array of formal, material, institutional and cultural expressions of feeling and emotion that constitute global silent cinema from its creation and content to its reception and preservation. 

The call for papers deadline has passed (an archived version can be accessed here)

Conference Registration

Conference registration for presenters has closed. We will make a select number of day passes available for people who just want to attend the conference. It is not required that non-presenters join WFHI, but please support the organization if you are able to do so. Lunches are not provided with the day pass.

Conference Venues

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (June 11-13):

Cinematek (https://cinematek.be/), Baron Hortastraat 9, 1000 Brussels (very close to the the Brussels Central Station).

Saturday (June 14):

University of Antwerp, “Grauwzusters,” Lange Sint-Annastraat 7, 2000 Antwerpen.

University of Antwerp, “Hof van Liere, Prinsstraat 13a, 2000 Antwerpen.

Both Antwerp locations are near Antwerp Central Station.

Accommodations

Antwerp is just a 40-minute train ride from Brussels so we suggest staying in Brussels during the conference.

The following hotels have special discounted rate for the conference. If you need a reservation link, please email belwss2025@gmail.com.

Hilton Brussels Grote Markt, Europakruispunt 3, 1000 Brussels (https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/brugrhi-hilton-brussels-grand-place/)

Ibis Hotel Brussels Centre, Rue Joseph Plateau 2, 1000 Brussels (https://all.accor.com/hotel/1454/index.nl.shtml)

Other suggested hotels (no special discount)

Barsey Warwick Louise, Louizalaan 381, 1050 Brussels (https://www.warwickhotels.com/hotel-barsey-by-warwick/contact-and-location)

NH Brussels Carrefour de L’Europe, Grasmarkt 110, 1000 Brussels (https://www.nh-hotels.com/nl/hotel/nh-brussels-carrefour-de-l-europe)

Nearby Restaurants (in Brussels)

Restaurant Fin de Siècle (https://findesiecle.be/fds-en.html)- in the city center and serves late dinners.

Bozar Restaurant (https://www.bozar.be/nl/bozar-restaurant)

Victor Bozar Café (https://www.victorbozarcafe.be/)

Les Brassins (https://lesbrassins.be/en)

Café des Minimes (https://cafedesminimes.com/)

Yummy Bowl (https://yummybowl.be/fr)

Les Petits Oignons (https://restaurant-petits-oignons-bruxelles.be/)

Chocolatier Gerbaud (https://www.chocolatsgerbaud.be/nl/)

Saveurs Edomae (https://www.saveursedomae.be/notre-carte/plats-japonais/) - Unmissable!

Les Filles (https://www.lesfilles.be/fr/table-d-hotes.php)- In the Museum Belvue (Royal Palace)

Kiosk Radio - In Warande Parc

Café Boudin (https://cafeboudin.be/en) - Hip and veggie

Mr Falafel II (https://www.happycow.net/reviews/mr-falafel-2-brussels-196342) - In Ravenstein Gallery

Super Fourchette (https://www.superfourchette.be/) - Run by young women, they also have a record store

Le Mokafé (https://www.grsh.be/en/store/mokafe-taverne/) - Beautiful, old café in the iconic queen’s gallery. Good for snacks, tea and pastry.

Le Cirio (https://lecirio.be/en) -Wonderful early 20th century charming old brasserie, founded by Italian immigrants. Try the cannelloni and the ‘half and half’ (demi demi) (= a mix of white wine and sparkling wine)

For Beer/drinks

La Madeleine - Near the Central Station

Lord Byron (https://www.facebook.com/lordbyronbxl)

Zebra Bar (https://www.facebook.com/TheZebraBar/?locale=nl_BE)

La Mort Subite (https://alamortsubite.com/en)

Estaminet Théâtre de Toone (https://toone.be/fr/#contact)- Bar of the world famous Brussels puppet theatre

Nova-Cinema (https://www.nova-cinema.org/infos-generales/article/infos-pratiques?lang=en)- Unique alternative atmosphere in cellar bar of former Arenberg Studio cinema, now home of a cult alternative cinema.

Archiduc (https://archiduc.com/) - Must see Art Deco Bar in downtown Brussels, former jazzclub of Stan Brenders.

Tourist information

Brussels: https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors

Antwerp: https://visit.antwerpen.be/en

WSSXII is co-organized by the Women and Film History International Conference Committee (Drake Stutesman, Kristine Harris, Tami Williams, and Kate Saccone) and hosts Dominique Nasta (Université libre de Bruxelles & Belgian Royal Academy), Anke Brouwers (School of Arts/KASK HoGent), and Tom Paulus (University of Antwerp).

Frame enlargement, Sangue mineiro (1929), produced by and starring Carmen Santos.