Welsh university to celebrate 40 years of Madonna’s breakthrough movie

A Welsh university is to host an international conference to commemorate the 40th anniversary of one of the defining movies of the ’80s.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David will host the event which celebrates four decades since the release of Desperately Seeking Susan, the iconic film which starred Madonna and Rosanna Arquette.

Directed by Susan Seidelman the movie redefined female friendship on screen and became one of the cultural touchstones of the decade – especially as it marked Madonna’s first major film role.

Set in New York City, the plot involves the interaction between two women – a bored housewife (Arquette) and a bohemian drifter (Madonna) – linked by various messages in the personals section of a newspaper.

As well as the female leads the movie also provided early roles for a number of other well-known performers, such as John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurie Metcalf and Steven Wright.

On Thursday, April 10, and Friday, April 11 2025, at the university’s Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea will see scholars, creatives, and fans coming together to explore the film’s cultural legacy and the often-overlooked portrayal of female camaraderie in visual media.

UWTSD lecturer and conference organiser Rebecca Ellis said: “In cinema, stories of male friendship often steal the spotlight, glorified through emotionally charged or adventurous narratives. Yet, the same attention has rarely been given to female friendships, which are equally dynamic and deeply transformative. Desperately Seeking Susan broke that mould, presenting a joyous and layered depiction of women forging connections, reclaiming agency, and challenging societal expectations.

She added: “We are proud to be hosting this conference to celebrate female friendship in film – a rarely explored topic within academia. We are excited to (virtually) welcome director Susan Seidelman (Desperately Seeking Susan, Sex & The City) to introduce new insights into the film as it celebrates it’s 40th anniversary.

“We’re thrilled to honour this ground-breaking film and welcome contributions from voices around the world.”

The university is inviting scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit abstracts to the event of no more than 250 words, accompanied by a short biography of up to 150 words. Submissions should explore topics such as:

– Representations of female friendships in film and television, past and present.
– Underappreciated works by female directors.
– Case studies of Desperately Seeking Susan and similar female-driven narratives.
– Analyses of Madonna’s performance, star persona, and the film’s soundtrack.

Abstracts must be submitted by Friday, 17 January 2025. Notifications of acceptance will be issued by Wednesday, 20 February 2025, and final presentations are due by Tuesday, 1 April 2025.

All submissions should be directed to Rebecca Ellis at [email protected]