Far from Méliès? (Im)material Circulation, from Early Cinema to Digital Media
While Georges Méliès’s cinematographic work quickly spread throughout France, it was also distributed internationally at an early stage. Since their initial release, his films have continually changed form across space and time, and through multiple interventions, including recent restorations, reuploads, the upscaling of video files and AI-generated images.
By studying the social history of these films and analysing the ways in which they have been distributed, modified and reused, this project seeks to offer a critical reflection on media circulation and to reflect on the reception of virtual images and their illusory powers – from the "tricks" of 1896 to the "deepfakes" of 2026. It aims to examine the physical and symbolic shifts of Méliès’s works, their impacts and their uses, particularly among new generations.
Caroline Renouard is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Lorraine in Metz and a member of the Centre for Research on Expertise, Arts and Transitions (CREAT, University of Lorraine, Metz, France). She co-directs the Performing Arts degree programme and the Master’s course Careers in Film Heritage and Mediation within the Faculty of Arts, Literature and Languages. Her research focuses on the history, aesthetics and professions of visual special effects, from Méliès's trick films to contemporary French and international practices.
- Jacques Malthête: great-grandson of Georges Méliès, author of numerous publications and lectures on Georges Méliès.
- Anne-Marie Malthête-Quévrain: great-granddaughter of Georges Méliès, Secretary General of the Cinémathèque Méliès.
- Matthew Solomon: Professor, Department of Film, Television and Media, University of Michigan, United States.
- Stéphane Tralongo: Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Senior FNS Researcher, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
