History
The Distinguished Career Achievement Award was established to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of established scholars in cinema and media studies. The Board of Directors selects the winners, but members
are invited to nominate deserving candidates from within the membership each year. Board members may also put forth nominations. The Board is not obligated to select a winner each year if no suitable candidate emerges.
Eligibility
Nominees are judged on the following criteria:
- A record of distinguished contributions to the profession;
- A significant body of scholarly work overtime that has helped shape the field;
- Active membership in SCMS for several years.
Procedures
- A completed nomination form containing the name of the nominee, affiliation, mailing address, e-mail address and supporting comments about the nominee along with the contact name and e-mail address(es)
for the person(s) who is nominating the individual for the award can be submitted online by the annual award deadline. The nomination statement should be under 500 words.
- Once the deadline has passed, the Board of Directors will review all nominations received and determine, via Board vote, the winner.
- Winners will be announced at the annual conference.
Changes
The winner of the DCAA will no longer be determined by an award committee of previous winners. Instead, winners will be chosen by the Board of Directors. Members are invited to nominate candidates for the award, and
the Board of Directors will take all nominations into account in their determination. This change aligns the DCAA more closely with the Distinguished Service Award, which is also selected by the Board of Directors.
It allows the Board to expand the scope of nominees when necessary.
Past Winners of the Distinguished Career Achievement Award
Beginning with the 2021 DCAA winner, recipients were no longer asked to give a talk. Instead, they were interviewed about their significant contributions at an annual conference event.
2025: Janet Staiger
2024: Jacqueline Stewart
2022: Bill Nichols
2021: Tom Schatz
Acceptance speeches from some DCAA winners can be read and/or viewed here.
2020: Charles Musser
2019: Donald Crafton
2018: Jane Gaines
2017: Michele Hilmes
2016: Rick Altman
2015: Tom Gunning
2014: Richard Abel
2013: Linda Williams
2012: Vivian Sobchack
2011: Dudley Andrew
2010: Teresa de Lauretis
2009: E. Ann Kaplan
2008: Thomas Elsaesser
2007: Richard Dyer
2006: B. Ruby Rich and Peter Wollen
Formerly Honorary Membership Award
2005: Pearl Bowser and Stuart Hall
2004: David Shepard
2003: Noel Burch
2002: Robin Wood
2001: Laura Mulvey
2000: Rudolf Arnheim
1999: Kevin Brownlow
1998: Jack C. Ellis
1997: William K Everson
Prior:
Iris Barry
Eileen Bowser
Stan Brakhage
Ernest Callenbach
William K. Everson
Frances Flaherty
Lewis Jacobs
Arthur Knight
Jay Leyda
Christian Metz
Annette Michelson
Jean Mitry
Erwin Panofsky
Amos Vogel
