Luna's first Call for Papers, 'Gender Identity and Sexuality in Fantasy and Science Fiction' will be released on Wednesday the 9th of August. Explore the ten brilliant papers you will find in the book.
Today, we would like to introduce you to Alina Hadîmbu (Romania), MA in Comparative Literature and Cultural Anthropology. Writer.
She is presenting the paper: "Newly Added Female Characters to Blockbuster Franchises. Gender Balancing in Otherwise Male-Dominated Fictional Worlds or a Greater Purpose?".
Alina says:
"With gender equality being one of the most sensitive topics of the 21st century, the world of fantasy and fiction on the silver screen has seen a surge in the number of female characters in leading roles. The main question is: are these characters added solely for the purpose of having a balanced male/female count and screen time, or is there more? Do these newly added female characters bring a solid contribution, change destinies, change the world perhaps, or are they only inscribed for more traditional roles (for example, serving as love interests)? Two very recent examples serve to show that such female characters are far from lacking in substance. We will have an in-depth look at the creation and mission of Rey, the new leading character in the latest Star Wars trilogy, and Tauriel, a non-canonical heroine added to The Hobbit film adaptations based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. This paper will explore their personalities, purpose and interactions with other characters, as well as their impact on the unfolding events, as presented in their respective high-grossing films."
Pre-order 'Gender Identity and Sexuality in Fantasy and Science Fiction' now!