Arts University Bournemouth (AUB)’s Associate Professor in Film, Dr Romana Turina, has delivered an invited presentation at Trinity College Dublin as part of an international, interdisciplinary symposium exploring the endurance of ancient narratives.
The event, titled Myth Reimagined: Interdisciplinary Encounters with Ancient Narratives in Contemporary Cultures, took place on Monday 11 May at the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts & Humanities Research Institute.
Organised by PhD candidates Antonio Belfiore and Katarzyna Stepien from Trinity’s School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies, the symposium brought together global scholars and artists to examine how mythology continues to shape the contemporary world across literature, theatre, folklore, visual art and cinema.
Romana, an acclaimed screenwriter, filmmaker, and leading researcher for the Screenwriting Research Network (SRN) and the British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS), presented during the afternoon session in the Neill Lecture Theatre.
Her paper, The Unripe Hero and the Unfulfilled Essay Film as Mythographic Dialogues, contributed to the symposium’s exploration of myth as a living, evolving framework for engaging with pressing contemporary issues such as identity, memory and historical narrative.
Romana’s research frequently analyses how dramatic structures and the essay film form can be utilised to translate complex historical and cultural realities into powerful visual communication.
“It was an absolute privilege to be invited to Trinity College Dublin to contribute to such a vibrant and genuinely interdisciplinary dialogue,” she comments. “Myth is far from a static remnant of the past; it remains a dynamic, living architecture that shapes how we process modern conflict, identity, and memory.
“For me, presenting this research was a fantastic opportunity to explore how the essay film form can challenge and reshape these ancient narrative structures, whilst connecting with international scholars who are all interrogating what it means to reimagine myth in contemporary culture today.”
The symposium featured academic presentations and discussion groups spanning an international and highly interdisciplinary scope. Romana was invited alongside other prominent researchers from institutions across Ireland and Europe, including Kelly Fitzgerald (University College Dublin), Małgorzata Budzowska (University of Łódź) and Edyta O'Shanahan (University College Cork).
The day also featured an exhibition by Dublin-based artist and Taylor Art Prize laureate Finn Nichol, providing a visual counterpoint to the day's academic and creative dialogues.
Supported by the Graduate Interdisciplinary Research Funding Scheme, Myth Reimagined highlighted the vital role that arts and humanities researchers play in navigating societal and cultural change. Romana's contribution underscores the continued impact of Bournemouth Film School’s academic community on the international stage.
