After the epochal turn of 1989 a new wave of movies dealing with the complex entanglement of religious and national identity has emerged in the eastern part of Europe. There has been plenty of evidence for a return of nationalism, while the predicated "return of religion(s)" is envisaged on a larger scale as a global phenomenon. The book suggests that in the wake of the historical turns of 1989, an "iconic turn" has taken place in Eastern Europe – in the form of a renewed cinematic commitment to make sense of the world in religious and/or national terms. "Iconic Turns" combines theoretical articles on the subject with case studies, bringing together researchers from different national backgrounds and disciplines, such as history, literary and film studies.

Contributors include: Eva Binder, Jan Čulík, Liliya Berezhnaya, Christian Schmitt, Hans-Joachim Schlegel, Maren Röger, Mirosław Przylipiak, Stephen Norris, John-Paul Himka, Maria Falina, and Natascha Drubek.