Society for Cinema and Media Studies

The voting period for the 2026 SCMS election is now open and will close on February 27. To participate, one must be an active member and logged in. Get involved and vote for your representatives! Learn more here: cmstudies.org/page/Election2026

SCMS is excited to announce this year's award winners—congratulations to all! View the full list: cmstudies.org/page/2026_awards.
Thank you to our members who served on award committees—your dedication makes this recognition possible. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone in Chicago! #SCMS26

The deadline for ⁠SCMS26 exhibitors and advertisers is approaching on Friday, January 16th! Don’t miss this chance to connect with 2,000+ attendees, boost your visibility, and engage with leaders in film and media studies. Join us in Chicago! #SCMS26

Conference Program Proofing

Spot an error in your name, affiliation, or presentation title? www.cmstudies.org/page/2026Con...
Submit corrections here: www.cmstudies.org/page/2026cor...
For tracking purposes, don’t use email or other forms—these may be missed.
Deadline: Wed, Jan 14, 2026, 5:00 PM CT. #SCMS26

Avoid the hassle—register for #SCMS26 today!
www.cmstudies.org/page/SCMS202...
Need help? Contact us using this form: cmstudies.org/page/contact_us

Caucus & SIG Sponsorships

Caucus & SIG Leaders: Submit up to 8 panels, workshops, or roundtables for SCMS 2026 program sponsorship. #SCMS26
Link: cmstudies.org/page/sponsoredpanels
Deadline: Jan 14, 2026, 5 PM CST

#SCMS26 offers a Dependent Care Fund to help grad students & contingent faculty with conference-related dependent care costs. Need-based subsidies up to $400 are available.
Apply here: buff.ly/8lbuez3.
Deadline: Monday, January 5, 2026.

Grad students & adjunct/underemployed faculty: Apply for travel grants to help with #SCMS26 expenses! Grants are selected by lottery. Learn more and apply here: buff.ly/9kdgtDM
Deadline: Monday, January 5, 2026.

Merry Holidays and Happy New Year from SCMS

Draft Program Now Available

The #SCMS26⁠⁠ preliminary conference program draft is now live! Find your session, check details, & submit corrections by Jan 14. Check your email for info on chair volunteer assignments, Caucus/SIG panel sponsorships, and much more!

we are seeking volunteers to chair panels

If you’re interested in chairing at ⁠SCMS26, we are seeking volunteers to chair panels comprised of accepted open-call papers. Serving as a panel chair ensures your name will appear in the conference program as a panel participant. Complete the form by Wed, Jan 7: www.cmstudies.org/page/chairvo...

Now Accepting Exhibitors and Advertising for SCMS 2026

Exhibitors and Advertisers - please join us at our annual conference in Chicago from Thursday, March 26 to Sunday, March 29, 2026. Learn more by visiting the advertising and exhibits pages on our website. We hope to see you there! #SCMS26

Thank You for Attending the Virtual Symposium

Thank you for attending the 2025 Virtual Symposium. Recordings will be available until Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. To access them, please keep and reference the email with your join link. You can access the lobby and view recordings the same way you accessed your meetings during the symposium.

SCMS Virtual Symposium - Check your inbox

SCMS Virtual Symposium Reminder: The schedule on the website is in U.S. Central Time (CST) and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), but once you're in the platform, session times will adjust to your local timezone! Pro Tip: Check the platform for your specific times. www.cmstudies.org/page/VSsched...

Reminder Virtual Symposium This Friday & Satursday

SCMS Virtual Symposium is this Friday & Saturday! Ensure your membership is current to access the platform. Watch your email for the invite. Times: US Central Standard. Link to schedule: www.cmstudies.org/page/VSsched...

2026 Conference Registration is now open!
You can now book your hotel, apply for grants and subsidies, review travel and accessibility info, reserve reception spaces, explore volunteer opportunities, and more. Visit cmstudies.org for details about #SCMS26 in Chicago, March 26–29. bit.ly/SCMS2026

SCMS Giving Tuesday

Join us today in creating opportunities for scholars who require them most. Our achievements would not be possible without your ongoing support. We express our sincere appreciation for your generosity this Giving Tuesday and throughout the year. Donate Today - bit.ly/SCMSGivingTu...

Grandes Dames of Feminist Film Theory: a Roundtable

Please join us for two upcoming online events focused on the lasting impact of feminist film theory. “The Grandes Dames of Feminist Film Theory: A Roundtable” will take place on Friday, December 5 at 3 pm CST as the showcase event of the SCMS Virtual Symposium. See bit.ly/DamesFeminis...

Educated initially as a scholar of eighteenth-century English literature, Kinder joined USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in 1980 and spent more than three decades shaping one of the world’s leading critical studies programs. Please read the full In Memoriam on our website. bit.ly/MarshaKinder

In Memoriam: Marsha Kinder 1940-2025

In Memoriam: Marsha Kinder 1940-2025

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Marsha Kinder, Emerita University Professor at the University of Southern California and a pioneering figure in film, television, and digital media studies.

Acceptance notices have been sent

Acceptance notices have been sent. You’ll receive a follow-up email with details on registration, accommodations, accessibility, funding, travel guidance, volunteer opportunities + more! Please make sure your SCMS membership is active so you don’t miss it. Join us in Chicago, March 26–29, 2026!

Institutional Membership connects your program to a national network of cinema and media studies scholars and supports the work that sustains our field.

If you’re an institutional chair, you should have received an email invitation. Feel free to contact the office with any questions. If your department would like to join as an Institutional Member, we’d love to welcome you.

SCMS Virtual Symposium Institutional Chairs Meeting

SCMS will host its annual Institutional Chairs Meeting during the 2025 Virtual Symposium. It’s a chance for department chairs and representatives from our Institutional Member organizations to connect, share concerns, and help shape how SCMS supports cinema and media studies programs.

SCMS 2025 Virtual Symposium Schedule Now Available

Join us on Zoom Events for the SCMS 2025 Virtual Symposium from Dec. 5-6. Simple, accessible, and familiar. Access invites and a user guide will be sent Dec 3. Check out the schedule now: www.cmstudies.org/page/VSsched.... See you online!

Graphic announcing a new episode of the podcast Moving Histories by John Trafton, Robert Burgoyne, and Kim Nelson about the Netflix series House of Guinness. Includes a photo of characters from the show and the SCMS logo.

SCMS highlights the work of John Trafton, Robert Burgoyne, and Kim Nelson, who released the latest episode of the podcast Moving Histories titled "Exploring the Netflix series House of Guinness".

movinghistories.com

SCMS highlights the achievement of Tanya Shilina-Conte for the publication of her book, "Black Screens, White Frames: Gilles Deleuze and the Filmmaking Machine,” from Oxford University Press. The book provides a detailed account of blankness and darkness in cinema.

Reminder: Proposals for Call for Translations from SCMS Translation/Publication Committee are due by 10/25! Call seeks proposals to translate a scholarly or creative work on cinema + media studies, to be published in JCMS. Submit by 10/25. Read the full #CFP here: www.cmstudies.org/page/committ....

SCMS highlights the achievement of Alex Ludwig for the publication of his new book, "Hearing Death at the Movies: Film Music and the Long History of the Dies Irae," from Palgrave Macmillan.

Issue 64.5 of JCMS (published open access online) is now available!
More here: quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jcms/oa-is...
@jcmsjournal.bsky.social