Projects per year
Personal profile
Areas of Expertise
British cinema; women and cinema; film history
Biography
Melanie Williams is a film historian specialising in the study of British cinema with a particular emphasis on issues of gender. Her key publications in this area include the monographs David Lean (2014), Female Stars of British Cinema: The Women in Question (2017), and A Taste of Honey (2023), and co-edited books British Women’s Cinema (2009) and Ealing Revisited (2012). She was co-investigator on the AHRC-funded project 'Transformation and Tradition in British Cinema of the 1960s', resulting in the co-authored book Transformation and Tradition in 1960s British Cinema (2019) and edited collection Sixties British Cinema Reconsidered (2020). She is also Principal Editor of the Journal of British Cinema and Television as well as a frequent contributor to the media and to film-related documentaries for Bluray and DVD releases (short excerpt here).
Her specialism in British cinema began with her PhD at the University of Hull on representations of women in the 1950s, awarded in 2003. She worked at the University of Hull for several years and played a key role in setting up their Film Studies degree programmes before moving to UEA’s School of Film and Television Studies in 2009. Since then, she has held the position of School Director of Postgraduate Research from 2009 to 2012, Head of the Department of Film, Television and Media Studies 2014-2016, Athena Swan Gender Equality Lead 2016-2019, and since 2019 has been Research Director for UEA's Interdisciplinary Institute for the Humanities. She was made Professor in 2020: you can see her inaugural lecture here.
Key Research Interests
British cinema (especially in terms of gender)
authorship and creative labour in cinema
film stardom
film aesthetics and mise-en-scene analysis
postwar British popular culture
Teaching Interests
- Since 2011, have convened: foundation year module ‘Introduction to Visual Cultures’, 1st year core modules ‘Film History’, ‘Analysing Film and Television’, ‘Studies in Film History’, 'Wolrd Cinemas' and 2nd year core module ‘Film Theory’, and 2nd and 3rd year options ‘British Cinema and the Past’, ‘Film and Authorship’, ‘Gender and British Cinema’, ‘Hollywood Studio System’ as well as UG dissertations and MA module ‘Film Studies: History, Theory, Criticism’.
- Led on creation of new joint degree History and Film, first intake 2013.
- Senior Fellowship, Advance HE
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Hull
Award Date: 31 Jul 2003
Keywords
- British Cinema & Television
- Film Studies
- Feminist Media Studies
Media Expertise
- Media studies
Network
-
The Invisible Women – Developing a Feminist Approach to Film Archive Metadata and Cataloguing
Johnston, K. M., Graham, A., Kelly, S., Richardson, L., Richardson, L., Williams, M. & Frith, P.
Arts and Humanities Research Council
1/08/21 → 31/03/24
Project: Research
-
Transformation and Tradition in Sixties British Cinema: Production Cultures, Cross Media Relations and National Branding
Petrie, D. & Williams, M.
Arts and Humanities Research Council
5/01/15 → 4/01/18
Project: Research
-
A Taste of Honey
Williams, M., 20 Apr 2023, Bloomsbury. 104 p. (BFI Film Classics)Research output: Book/Report › Book
-
Interview for Studiocanal Bluray/DVD release of Women of Twilight (1952)
Williams, M., 2023Research output: Non-textual form › Film
-
Essay for Network bluray release of The Sandwich Man (1966)
Williams, M., 2022, Network.Research output: Other contribution
-
Interview for Criterion Bluray/DVD release of Summertime (1955)
Williams, M., 2022Research output: Non-textual form › Film
-
'A different train of events' essay for Network Bluray release of Brief Encounter (1974)
Williams, M., 2021, Network.Research output: Other contribution
Prizes
-
Community University Engagement individual Media and Communications Award
Williams, Melanie (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Selected to vote in Sight and Sound Greatest Film of all time poll
Williams, Melanie (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Other distinction
-
Activities
-
BFI Library Talk: A Taste of Honey by Melanie Williams
Melanie Williams (Invited speaker)
22 May 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Invited talk
-
Muriel Box: Odd Woman Out, panel at BFI Southbank
Melanie Williams (Invited speaker)
2 May 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop or seminar
-
UEA Green Film Festival 2023 opening screening of Cow
Melanie Williams (Invited speaker)
27 Apr 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Festival/Exhibition/Performance
-
Jane Austen Society
Melanie Williams (Invited speaker)
14 Jan 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Invited talk
-
Scandal 63 Revisited
Melanie Williams (Keynote/plenary speaker)
2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Press/Media
-
Interview on A Taste of Honey (BFI Film Classic) for Writers on Film podcast
24/04/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
-
-
-
Is Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner a film for our times? (Oct 22)
21/09/22
4 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
-