Cinema Today

About this course

Cinema Today considers cinema as an artistic, cultural and technological practice. Its six themes include movie-going, digital culture, world cinema, film festivals, film criticism and film history, with attention to how recent changes have shaped spectatorship and film study. Participants analyse films, engage with key theoretical texts and explore cinema culture through contact with film professionals in exhibition and visits to the BFI library and film archives. Assessment comprises a 1,000-word research report and a 3,000-word essay. The course is studied alongside Birkbeck students on related undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

What you'll learn

• Analyse contemporary films and cinema practices using approaches from film studies
• Examine how technological and cultural changes have affected experiences of cinema
• Apply ideas from essential theoretical texts to the study of film
• Produce a research report and an extended essay on cinema-related topics

Is this course right for you?

Listed as suitable for all levels, the course is intended for learners who want to examine cinema through analysis, theory and research. Participants should be prepared to engage with film studies texts, explore cinema culture and complete two written assessments.

• Can be taken as a standalone short course
• Can contribute to specified Birkbeck Certificates of Higher Education