HUMA Doctoral Fellow Tina-Louise Smith awarded NFVF Funding and Margaret McNamara Education Grant

HUMA Doctoral Research Fellow Tina-Louise Smith has been awarded National Film and Video (NFVF) funding to cover her 2025 fees and the Margaret McNamara Education Grant (MMEG) to the value of $7000 for 2025.  

Tina-Louise joined HUMA in November 2024 and is Mellon Turning The Tide Doctoral Research Fellow, completing her PhD at the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Film and Media Studies. 

Her research examines how effectively the formulae of television crime dramas from the global north are adapted and negotiated into South African crime shows for viewers of local streaming television. With this research she aims to discern how thematic concerns are embodied through different characters and whether stories are recognisable as emerging from a South African experience. Tina holds MA and Hons. degrees in Film and Television Studies from the University of Cape Town. Before returning to do her postgraduate studies, Tina worked in film and television as a producer, director and trainer.

The fellowships will cover tuition, academic and living expenses. Tina is thrilled by the financial support because it will make being a doctoral student easier. In a funding environment that favours the hard sciences and people younger than 35, Tina-Louise, aged 54 years, is immensely honoured that the selection committees of the three funds see her work in film and television studies as a valuable contribution to society, and that they believe in her despite her age. Tina-Louise encourages all South African postgraduate students who identify as women to research the Margaret McNamara Education Grant because it covers all disciplines and does not have an age restriction.

“Being awarded this prestigious funding, is like a stamp of approval that shows these organisations support my research and that maybe you, other funders, should too,” says Tina. “To be associated with forward-thinking scholars who want to make the world a better place will also encourage others to learn more about my work and hopefully open the doors of opportunity for further research work.”

EXPLORE TINA-LOUISE’S PUBLICATIONS

• PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLE
  2023 Nommer 37 : Power and the gaze in South African cinema | Journal of African Cinemas. 15(1): 13-35.
   

• COMMENTARY
  2022 South African TV: Always Transnational? Critical Studies in Television Online. Available: https://cstonline.net/south-african-tv-always-transnational-by-tina-louise-smith/