This month, the University of Illinois Press welcomes new co-editors to one of its flagship series, Contemporary Film Directors (CFD). Sarah Keller and Joshua Yumibe will join incumbent co-editor Justus Nieland as the new editorial team overseeing CFD, the acclaimed collection of short commentaries on films by living directors from around the world. Keller and Yumibe succeed Jennifer Fay, Nieland’s co-editor since the pair replaced founding editor James Naremore in 2012.
“I’m proud of the series’ increased visibility and how the individual volumes have opened authorship studies to novel and vital methods of reading,” Fay said. “The series is now under the most capable and smart direction of three stellar scholars and will certainly flourish and explore new critical edges.”
Highlights of Fay’s tenure as co-editor include Cáel Keegan’s trans* aesthetic approach to the Wachowski Sisters and Shonni Enelow’s forthcoming look at the art historical origins of absorption in Joanna Hogg’s oeuvre.
“It’s been an absolute delight to work with my dear friend and colleague Jen Fay on CFD,” Nieland said. “During our 11 years as co-editors, we published 22 volumes, and achieved our goals of diversifying the series while publishing volumes that are relevant, conceptually ambitious, and accessible.”
The author of three books, Sarah Keller joins the series from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She said, “It’s a privilege and honor to join Justus and Josh—consummate scholars as well as generous and brilliant collaborators—whose research regimens, work ethic, and editorial insight have long guided and inspired me.”
Michigan State University’s Joshua Yumibe has written one book and coauthored two others. “It’s so exciting to work with Justus and Sarah, as well as all of the authors to come,” he said. “CFD has such a fabulous track record, and I’m looking forward to continuing to expand it as we explore vital filmmaking and scholarship from around the world.”
The Press invites prospective CFD authors to directly query the series editors. The proposal guidelines for the series can be found here.