''Far-Flung Families in Film explores the conflicted tensions sustaining its key terms "diasporic" and "family." Giving full scope to the centrifugal and centripetal forces at work, Daniela Berghahn admirably proves that the "transnational turn" has energized not only filmmakers, but invigorated debate among the academic community as well.' - Thomas Elsaesser, author of European Cinema: Face to Face with Hollywood'Daniela Berghahn provides a timely, wide-ranging, and engaging analysis of diasporic family films made by key directors from around the world living in Europe and identifies a new European cinema in the new multicultural Europe.' - Hamid Naficy, author of An Accented Cinema: Exilic and Diasporic Filmmaking"The beautifully illustrated Far-Flung Families in Film is a milestone in the study of diasporic film and 'accented cinema' (Hamid Naficy), and it also marks a particularly original and much-needed contribution to transnational cinema studies. I would warmly recommend Daniela Berghahn's book to scholars, students, makers, promoters and critics of film as well as to learned cinema-goers." - Marta Minier, Transnational Cinemas " This is an in-depth critical exploration of cinematic representations of the family in transnational cinema. In the age of globalisation, diasporic and other types of transnational family are increasingly represented across the film spectrum in works such as Bend It Like Beckham, The Namesake, Boys 'n the Hood, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (The Brave Heart Will Take the Bride) and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. While there is a significant body of scholarship on the representation of the family in Hollywood cinema, an analysis of the depiction of the diasporic family in cinema from a comparative transnational angle has yet to be attempted. Far-Flung Families in Film fills this gap and provides an essential resource for academics and researchers with an interest in cinematic representations of the family and transnational cinema. The work will answer the following key questions: Why is diasporic cinema characterised by a preponderance of family narratives?; How does the diasporic family as constructed in cinema relate to or differ from models of family life in dominant social groups?; What role does authorship play in the depiction of the diasporic family?; How does diasporic cinema negotiate the aesthetic and generic conventions of film genres commonly associated with the representation of the family?. It takes a theme-centred approach, examining journeys of migration, family memories, gender identities, romance and weddings. It includes 15 detailed case studies of diasporic family films.
