The Domitor Student Essay Award is an annual competition designed to stimulate interest in the field of early cinema studies, to involve young scholars and archivists in the activities of our organization, and to reduce the gap between established and emerging generations of scholars and archivists of early cinema. It is crucial for the future of early cinema studies that young historians, theorists, and archivists present their work and enter into discussion with current scholars and scholarship.

Although we imagine the general time frame for the period covered by the essays to be the late 1880s through to 1915, we realize that cinema developed unevenly across the global stage. For that reason, submissions treating cinema after 1915 in countries where early cinema practices postdate the proposed time frame will be given full consideration. Similarly, essays that examine the history and/or current status of early cinema’s place in historiography, theory, or the archive are also welcomed.

Submissions may be written in either French or English. All entrants must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at the time of submission, or have received a degree no earlier than January 2009. Essays prepared by students to fulfill course requirements may be submitted. An essay will not be accepted, however, if it has been previously published or issued in any form of general distribution. Each student may enter only one essay. All submissions are due electronically (as a PDF or Microsoft Word document) by 1 September 2009.

The winner of the award will be announced at the Domitor General Assembly at the Giornate del Cinema Muto, Pordenone, in October 2009. The award consists of a monetary prize ($500) and publication of the winning essay in a professional film historical journal.

Please send your submissions to all members of the Domitor Student Essay Committee:

Nico de Klerk (research@filmmuseum.nl)

Frank Kessler (F.E.Kessler@uu.nl)

Gregory Waller (gwaller@indiana.edu)