Julia Peluso  (1939 - 2007)

The Julia Peluso Memorial Award was established by Philip Peluso in commemoration of his wife Julia, who graduated in 1987 with honours from the Department of Visual Arts, at Monash University.

Julia was different to many of her peers during her teens. After work in Melbourne's CBD, she would often disappear into small, basement theatres and watch films by directors such as Kurosawa, Buñuel and Resnais, all in glorious monochrome.

She would say, in later years, that her interest in international cinema was a large factor in her determination to gain her mature age HSC, followed by study at Monash in her forties. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the full-circle result was her enthusiastic film study in the latter part of her degree.

Julia always believed that good film makers learnt from life and, conversely, we can gain life lessons from film. She also knew that the constraints of mature-age study were more than compensated for by the great life lessons of unselfishness, optimism, and perseverance.

She applied these lessons to family life, as well as to study, and continued reading, seeking knowledge and assisting overseas students all her days.

This annual award is for a female postgraduate research student investigating screen cultures in the Film, Media, Communication and Journalism (FMCJ) program.  The award carries a value of $1000.

2025 - Mirror Huang

Mirror's research investigates the practices of contemporary Chinese women documentary filmmakers, exploring how their work generates feminist, affective, and collective potential within a male-dominated industry and under tightening institutional constraints.

"It is a profound honour and a humbling surprise to receive the Julia Peluso Memorial Prize. Julia's life moved me deeply: her love of international cinema, her belief that life and film teach one another, and above all the optimism and perseverance she carried. These are qualities I have tried to hold onto throughout my research life. As I enter the final stage of my thesis, following a visiting fellowship in the UK and sharing my research at conferences overseas, this recognition arrives as an immense encouragement, both practical and deeply personal. My deepest thanks go to Belinda, Olivia, and Simon; I could not have come this far without my wonderful supervisory team. To carry forward, even in a small way, the curiosity and generosity Julia embodied is a gift I will hold close."

2024 - Corinne Wooden

Corinne's research critically examines the representation of posthuman, female-presenting bodies in twenty-first century popular culture texts, analysed through a posthuman feminist framework.

"I am deeply honoured (and equally awe-struck) to receive the Julia Peluso Memorial Prize, which recognises not only academic excellence but also the broader challenges that accompany balancing professional responsibilities alongside tertiary study. Throughout my university education, I have frequently been advised against working full-time, let alone running a business. However, doing so has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to both academia and industry. Maintaining a professional career while undertaking a PhD demands a high level of discipline, time management, and resilience. It has meant working late nights, foregoing weekends and making difficult compromises in both personal and professional realms. To be recognised through this award is a powerful affirmation that excellence at the academic level is not defined by a single path. I extend my sincere gratitude to the selection committee and, of course, my supervisor—Claire Perkins—for making this possible."

2023 - Syrie Payne

Syrie’s research focuses on the intersection of nostalgia and horror in contemporary long-form narrative television, engaging with genre theory, feminist film theory and industrial analysis.

"I am delighted and honoured to receive the Julia Peluso Memorial Prize. It is a generous recognition of the challenges and rewards of balancing study with a professional working life as a mature age student, and is deeply appreciated. I would also like to thank my supervisors for their continued encouragement, incisive feedback and support."

2022 - Melanie Ashe

Melanie’s dissertation focuses on the regional film industry of far west NSW, a significant site of on-location filmmaking in Australia since 1970. Her work investigates how the region’s histories of resource extraction and land management have shaped, and are shaped by, the films from the region.

"It is an honour to receive this award in recognition of the challenges of balancing the PhD with other commitments. I It has been a busy year where I’ve undertaken several field trips, volunteered as Education Coordinator of the Melbourne Women in Film Festival, worked as a research assistant, travelled to international conferences to present my research, volunteered as the school’s student representative, all the while undertaking the rigorous yet rewarding research journey of writing a dissertation! This is in addition to the baseline financial pressure that all PhD students are under, especially within the current cost of living. I am grateful and humbled to get this extra support."

2021 - Marija Antic

Marija’s work focuses on the representation of gender, sexuality, and cross-cultural identity in Iranian diasporic women’s cinema.

“I am delighted and humbled to receive this award for balancing my PhD research with tutoring in Film and Media Studies, as well as volunteering as a Film Programmer with the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival over the past year, during which I completed
my dissertation. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisors, whose encouragement and support were crucial in facing these challenges. I am honoured to be a recipient of the Julia Peluso prize!”

2020 Isabella Mahoney

Isabella’s work investigates the historical representation of women’s voices in film, from early silent cinema to experimental feminist documentary of the late 1970s.

“I truly appreciate being recognised for my work throughout the past year, in which I completed my mid-candidature milestone and balanced PhD research with tutoring in Film Studies and English and volunteering as a Student Representative .I will utilise the funds to attend a Film and Media Studies conference in Europe, where I will present on my PhD research. This prize brings me a step closer to achieving my academic goals within the university community and beyond.” 

2019 - Samaya Borom

Samaya Borom was the 2019 recipient of the Julia Peluso Memorial Prize. Samaya’s work focuses on representations of terrorism and how this may normalise contraventions of international law and human rights.

“It was an honour to receive the Julia Peluso prize in recognition of the challenges of balancing a professional working life, young family and undertaking higher degree research. In addition, the support and encouragement of my supervisor was instrumental in meeting the challenges that the Julia Peluso prize recognises. I’m very humbled to have been awarded this prize!”