SOCIETE D’ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES SUR LE CINEMA ANGLOPHONE

September 2013, modified september 2016, september 2025 and september 2026

Article 1

SERCIA, a professional association to encourage research in, and the teaching of, English-speaking cinema, is hereby founded on the basis of the following constitution. It will operate under the terms of the French law of 1 July 1901 and the decree of 16 August 1901 dealing with the conduct of non-profit associations.

Article 2

This association aims at bringing together scholars (whether teachers or students) and promoting research and publications on English-speaking cinema.

A series of conferences will be organized at which members will be able to present their research in film history, film theory, film analysis or the ways in which the society and culture of the English-speaking world relate to cinema. The Annual General Meeting of SERCIA confirms in advance the location of the annual conference and the name(s) of the organizer(s). The organizer(s) must consult the President of the association on a regular basis throughout the process of organizing the conference.

The association expects conference organizers to publish a selection of articles or chapters stemming from the conference. Film studies workshops will be organized by SERCIA members at the conferences of SAES, AFEA and other associations, and can also pave the way for publications.

Conferences will be organized in collaboration with an academic institution, which will pay for part of the costs of organizing the conference.

SERCIA’s elected board is responsible for maintaining good relations with SAES, SERCIA’s mother association, AFEA and AFECCAV in France, as well as EAAS, NECS and SCMS and other organizations that promote English-speaking cinema across the world.

Article 3 Headquarters

SERCIA’s headquarters are located in Clermont-Ferrand.

It can be moved by decision of the elected board, subject to ratification at the next Annual General Meeting.

Article 4 Members

The association is comprised of:

1. Regular members. Students, retirees and unwaged independent scholars are entitled to a lower membership rate while enjoying the same advantages as other members (the right to vote, to give talks and publish) as defined by the SERCIA constitution.

2. Honorary members. Honorary members are those who have rendered signal service to the association. They are nominated by the elected board and approved by the Annual General Meeting.

Article 5 Admission

Membership in the association is ultimately decided by the elected board, which can vet membership applications.

Article 6 Membership fees

Members pay an annual membership fee agreed by a vote of the Annual General Meeting; the rate for students, retirees and unwaged independent scholars will be half of the regular fee.

Article 7 Cancellation of Membership

Membership is automatically cancelled for the following reasons:

1. resignation;

2. death;

3. the non-payment of membership by the date of the General Assembly.

Article 8 Finance

The association’s funds include:

1. the total amount raised through the payment of membership dues

2. various state, regional and local grants, or funding from SAES or any other body interested in supporting SERCIA.

Article 9 Elected Board

The association is governed by a board, elected for two-year terms at the Annual General Meeting. Members may serve a maximum of three terms in the same office,

with the exception of the Treasurer and Vice-Treasurer, whose terms can be extended, subject to a vote by the General Assembly.

The eight elective positions are:

1. a President

2. a Vice-President

(3 & 4) a Secretary and an Assistant Secretary (5 & 6) a Treasurer and an Assistant Treasurer

7. a member in charge of external relations with other organizations

7. a member in charge of the mailing list and/or the website

Honorary members having held office in the past are also members of the board.

Any member of the association can run for one of these positions by sending their application to a member of the elected board, who will inform the rest of the board. Should there be several candidates for the same position, the candidate with the majority of votes in the first round is elected. Should there be no candidates, the members of the association may propose candidates and submit their proposal(s) with the agreement of the candidates concerned to the Annual General Meeting.

If one of the positions becomes vacant, the elected board can provisionally nominate a member to that position, subject to confirmation by the next Annual General Meeting. The powers of such temporary members of the board are terminated at the time when the term of the elected position they hold comes to an end.

Article 10 Meetings of the Elected Board

The elected board meets at least once per year. The agenda for the Annual General Meeting is discussed prior to the AGM, though the President can wait until the beginning of the AGM to present the final agenda.

Decisions are made through a majority vote; in case of a tie, the President will have the casting vote.

Article 11 Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting comprises all the members of the association. It meets every year at the annual conference.

Notice of the Annual General Meeting is given by email at least fifteen days before the day of the meeting. Members must provide the Secretary and the member in charge of the mailing list with a valid email address.

The President, assisted by other members of the elected board, presides over the AGM and reports on the association’s current state.

The Treasurer presents a statement of expenses and revenues and asks the Annual General Meeting to approve the association’s accounts.

Decisions at the AGM can be made only on points arising from the agenda.

Board elections will take place by an electronic vote organized by the Secretary or Vice-Secretary in collaboration with the rest of the elected board and open to all members who have paid their dues by the date of the General Meeting. The vote will be opened prior to the General Meeting. No proxies will be considered.

Votes concerning other points than board elections or statute modifications can be organized by show of hands during the General Meeting or by electronic vote.

Article 12

If necessary, or if more than half the total number of members make an official request to that effect, the President can call for an extraordinary Annual General Meeting according to the terms described in Article 11.

Any decision to dissolve the association requires the approval of two-thirds of the members present at the Annual General Meeting. If such a decision is made, the association must designate one or more official receivers, and any remaining funds allocated according to Article 9 of the law of 1 July 1901 and the decree of 16 August 1901.

Article 13 Film Journal

The Film Journal editorial board is composed of four positions (and four to five members): the editor in chief or two co-editors-in-chief, the assistant editor, an editor of book reviews and an editor of occasional papers, all elected by the SERCIA General Assembly. Their two-year terms are renewable twice. The editor in chief proposes candidates to the three other positions. The applications will be examined by the Film Journal editorial committee before being submitted to the General Assembly. All the members of the editorial board have to be members of SERCIA but they cannot be elected members of the SERCIA board.