Deleuze Centenary Sparks Paris Cinema Conference Exploring “Usages Contemporains d’une Pensée du Cinéma”
PARIS – A major international conference dedicated to teh contemporary applications of Gilles Deleuze’s cinematic philosophy will unfold November 7-9, 2025, across multiple venues in and around Paris.The event, organized by the Center Pompidou as part of a broader festivity of the philosopher’s centenary, promises a deep dive into Deleuze’s enduring influence on film studies and practice.
The conference, titled “Gilles Deleuze: usages Contemporains d’une Pensée du Cinéma,” arrives at a pivotal moment as filmmakers and theorists increasingly grapple with questions of image, affect, and the political potential of cinema. Scholars from universities including Paris 1, Paris 8, Lyon 3, and Gustave Eiffel will present research, examining deleuze’s concepts through the lens of both classic and contemporary works. The event aims to chart new directions for Deleuzean thought within the evolving landscape of film.
The program is structured around thematic sessions. November 7th begins with a focus on “Political Art,” featuring presentations by Timofei Gerber (university Paris 1) on ” ‘Collective reflection’, ‘sensitive thought’: issues of ‘classic’ cinema as political art,” and Judith Michalet (Paris 1 University) discussing ”ciné-line and tactic fabulation of Jafar Panahi: an outcome to the powers of the false Deleuziennes.” A midday break is followed by the session “Become an animal and Cinema,” with Brian Thomas (Paris 8 University) exploring ”animal indeterminacy center in contemporary cinema: the back of the image-pulse,” and Caroline San Martin (Paris 1 University) presenting on “Thinking with non-human characters: return to an aesthetic Deleuzian figure. Study Living among the living Sylvère Petit (2025) and Soledad afternoons d’Albert Serra (2025).”
Moderation throughout the conference will be provided by Stanislas de Courville (paris 8 University) and Alice Leroy (Gustave Eiffel university). Conference locations include La Femis (6 rue Francoeur, 75018 Paris), Maison de la Recherche, University Paris 8 (2 rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis), espace 1789 (2 rue Alexandre Bachelet, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine), and Inha (Walter Benjamin room, 2 rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris).
The steering committee comprises Jacopo Bodini (University Lyon 3), stanislas de Courville (University Paris 8), Cécile Sorin (University Paris 8), and Dork Zabunyan (University Paris 8). The conference receives support from the Research Commission of the University of Paris 8,and also ESTCA (Paris 8 University) and Irphil (university Lyon 3). Further information is available at https://www.estca.univ-paris8.fr/gilles-deleuze-usages-contemporains-dune-pensee-du-cinema/ and inquiries can be directed to colloque.cinema.deleuze2025@proton.me.
