Associate Professor Julia Erhart

Julia Erhart is an internationally recognised feminist film scholar and expert in the fields of feminist, LGBTQ, and documentary media. She is author of three books, Gendering History on Screen: Women Filmmakers and Historical Films (IB Tauris/Bloomsbury 2018), Gillian Armstrong: popular, sensual & ethical cinema (Edinburgh UP 2020), and The Children’s Hour (McGill-Queens UP forthcoming 2023).

Julia has a track record of data-driven research examining gender equity and the Australian screen industry and an established reputation for research on women’s media authorship and output. Gendering History on Screen (2018) examines innovations by women filmmakers in contemporary biopics, war films, and other genres. Her book about Gillian Armstrong combines analyses of themes in Armstrong’s work with an analysis of her practical filmmaking approach. Further filmmakers Julia has produced research about include Australian director Jane Campion and French director Agnes Varda.

Julia has produced substantial research on LGBTQ audiences and commercial media. Her newest book on The Children’s Hour, the first commercial American film to feature a lesbian character in a mainstream role, is forthcoming in 2023.

Julia is the recipient of a grant from the Australian Academy of the Humanities (2016), a Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning from the Australian Office for Learning and Teaching (2014), and a Fulbright fellowship (2000).

Julia is a nationally recognised teacher. In addition the OLT Citation, she has received the Vice-Chancellor's and the Faculty award for Excellence in Teaching (in 2012). Institutions Julia has taught at include the University of California (Santa Cruz), San Francisco State University, New York University, and Technische Universität Chemnitz. Born and raised in New York City, Julia worked for New Line Cinema, Paperjacks , and as a freelance film editor before becoming an academic. She lives in the Adelaide Hills.