Awarded in recognition of the monograph that resulted from Mr Antunes dissertation, which has been nominated by the BAFTSS as the best monograph of 2017, and for his work in developing an innovative symposium and research network.
Mr Antunes’ doctoral project links neuroscience and cognitive film theory with stylistic and thematic analysis to forge a new paradigm in Film Studies. The fact that his research has already been widely disseminated, cited by leading academics, and triggered new research projects in the field testifies to this, as well as to the impact of his work.
His dissertation has already been published as a book, The Multisensory Film Experience: A Cognitive Model of Experiential Film Aesthetics, which demonstrates a link between the audiovisual medium and a corresponding multisensory experience. This has created an entirely new understanding of film perception and aesthetics.
In addition, Mr Antunes founded an international research network on Arctic Cinema that emerged from an international symposium, hosted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, for which he won some 70k Canadian Dollars (approx. £40k), including a substantive element for his own research. He was the main organizer and event administrator.
In nominating him for the prize, his supervisor Dr Virginia Pitts said that ‘his ground-breaking scholarship, his extraordinary productivity and his leadership in the field have earned him an international reputation that is simply astounding at this stage of his career, especially as his PhD is still being examined. I wholeheartedly recommend him for the Prize.’