Avneet Sharma

Avneet Sharma is a PhD student at the Cinema Studies Institute. His research investigates the effects and potentialities of desire in queer spectatorship, contending that queer spectators engage in ‘improper’ viewing practices that generate provocative interpretations and forge communal bonds. His other interests include contemporary cinema, psychoanalytic film theory, queer theory and history, television studies, and online cinephile cultures. In addition to his scholarly work, he is a Pre-Screener for the Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival.

Selected Work

• Guest Editor. Reality TV in the Social Media Economy<. ASAP/J, 2024.
• “Justin Trudeau Goes to Canada’s Drag Race: Notes on Canadian Homonationalism.” ASAP/J, 2024.
• “A Conversation About Reality TV in the Social Media Economy.” With Cassandra Luca. ASAP/J, 2024.
• Sex and politics in three novels by Alan Hollinghurst: The Swimming-Pool Library, The Folding Star, and The Line of Beauty. 2023. McGill University, MA thesis.
• “Clap for the Bing Bang Bong: Surface Reading the United Kingdolls’ ‘UK HUN?’” Caméra Stylo, vol. 22, 2022, pp. 21-28.
• “Desire (for Zephyr’s Nipple, for Belmondo’s Ass) in The Birth of Venus and Breathless.” Hardwire, vol. 4, 2021, pp. 8-14.
• “Laura Dern and Gay Men: Performing Gay Cinephilia at the Independent Spirit Awards.” Caméra Stylo, vol. 21, 2021, pp. 13-20.

Awards

• Hugh MacLennan Fellowship in English, McGill University (2022)
• SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s (2021)