Film Studies PhD student Mary Harrod wins Susan Hayward Prize

We are delighted to report that the Association for Studies in French Cinema Susan Hayward Prize 2013, awarded for the best article published in the journal by a PhD student was given to Mary Harrod (Film Studies Department, King's College London) for her article 'Sweet Nothings? Imagining the Inexpressible in Contemporary French Romantic Comedy', published in volume 13, number 2.  

The Susan Hayward Prize is awarded annually in January by the Association for Studies in French Cinema Editorial Board for the best article published in the journal by an author who was registered as a Doctoral candidate at the time of submission. The prize consists of a cheque for £100, and free admission to the Studies in French Cinema annual conference in the year of the award.

This is a great achievement for Mary and the second time that she has won the award, as she was awarded the 2012 Susan Hayward prize for her article 'Linguistic difference as ontological sameness in Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis', published in volume 12, number 1.

Mary Harrod has now been awarded her doctorate for her thesis: Comedy and Social Change in French Cinema 1990-2010: the rise of the Rom-Com, awarded by King’s College London on 1 May 2013.

The Association for Studies in French Cinema was established in 2000 by Professor Susan Hayward (University of Exeter, UK), and Professor Phil Powrie (University of Surrey, UK).  They hold an annual conference, at which a range of prizes are presented: the Postgraduate Essay Prize in association with Manchester University Press, the Undergraduate Essay Prize, and the Susan Hayward Prize for the best article published in the journal by a PhD student.

The article considers French rom-coms of the 1990s and 2000s by popular auteurs including Toni Marshall. This picture is taken from Vénus Beauté (Institut) / Venus Beauty Salon (Marshall, 1999).