This thesis investigates the ways representations of terrorism in Hollywood, German and British cinema embody what Slavoj Žižek describes as the postpolitical, that is the current state of denial of alternatives within global politics and a directionlessness within cultural theory, which set in after the apparent defeat of the possibility of a radical alternative to capitalism. Moreover, this thesis proposes that films about terrorism are not only cultural expressions of the post-political, but also show the post-political condition to be problematic, displaying as they do symptoms such as the devaluation of human subjectivity and its concomitant failure to achieve progressive political change. Žižek’s philosophical approach as a method of interpreting the postpolitical is applied to the films Munich (2005), Zero Dark Thirty (2012) The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) Die Kommenden Tage/The Coming Days, (2010) Four Lions (2010) and Hunger (2008). As well as Žižek’s work, the writings of other critics and commentators and such as Frank Furedi, Thomas Elsaesser, Kenan Malik and others are drawn on. The aesthetic and formal properties of these films are read against Žižek’s texts on ideology critique, which are primarily directed at the post-political. The films shown exhibit expressions of the post-political in notions of empathy and sustainability, campness, and postmodern forms of narrative, which Žižek calls filling in gaps, and Žižek’s concept of ‘the act’. By mapping the post-political in Hollywood, British and German cinema this research assays the manner in which screen terrorism is symptomatic of the post-political condition.

Leaves on Trees is a 16-minute narrative film about a young boy who gets prescription glasses for the first time. The following report recounts the process of conception, pre-production, production, and post-production undertaken to produce the film. It discusses the hardships and successes of the project and posits a goal for the future. / text

The report details the development, pre-production, production, and post-production stages of Plus/Minus. Plus/Minus is a short, narrative film about about a young couple examining their relationship as they await the result of a pregnancy test. / text

This report describes the inspiration, writing, development, pre-production, production, and post-production of the graduate thesis film Pō. / text

The report details the conceptual development, pre-production, production, and post-production stages of making Lost Nights. Lost Nights is a short, narrative film about two brothers who go out for one last night before the younger brother leaves for basic training. The film was produced as my graduate thesis film in the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin. / text