Establishing itself in the immediate post-war period, initially in Europe and later in world cinemas, art cinema is characterised by distinctive film styles and narrative structures that set it apart from popular forms of cinematic practice and representation. This course will consider its origins and development, its key films and filmmakers, and critical accounts of the concept art of cinema.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
This online film studies course looks at art cinema as a film style and mode of production since the 1920s. It will consider its origins in the modernist and avant-garde cinema of Europe in the 1920s in films such as Un chien andalou (Buñuel/Dali 1929), the rise of the European art film post-1945 in films like Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948), Breathless (Godard, 1960), L'Avventura (Antonioni, 1960), Last Year at Marienbad (Resnais, 1961), 8 1/2 (Fellini, 1963), Persona (Bergman, 1966), The Spirit of the Beehive (Erice, 1973), Fear Eats the Soul (Fassbinder, 1974), Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (Akerman,1975), and others, and its presence in Japanese cinema with films such as Woman of the Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964).
The course will also consider the art film style in popular American filmmaking during the late 1960s and early 1970s through films such as The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967) and The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola,1974), a response to developments in European cinema, but also arising from institutional changes in Hollywood. We will note the continuing presence of the art film since 2000, reconfigured through new directorial styles in films such as Yi Yi (Edward Yang, 2000), Hidden (Michael Haneke, 2005), Columbus (Kogonada, 2017), Parasite (Bong Joon Ho, 2019) and Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi, 2021). We will see that the art film style remains largely consistent in its foregrounding of realism and authorship (the ‘presence’ of the director and his or her style) and its tendency to disrupt narrative continues to contribute to its distinctive formal characteristics.
What will we cover?
• Key films and filmmakers, • Art film style and narrative • Authorship • Realism • Critical accounts of the art cinema • Production contexts (national cinemas)
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Identify a range of key films and filmmakers associated with art cinema • Describe and evaluate art film style, narrative and narration • Evaluate the concept of authorship in relation to art cinema • Evaluate the concept of realism in relation to art cinema • Evaluate a range of critical accounts of the art cinema • Evaluate the concept of national cinema and its relationship with art cinema
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for film and discussing film. The course will provide an introduction to the subject but will also be useful for those wishing to build on existing knowledge in the subject area.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Screenings of extracts from films, talks by the tutor, reading materials, small and large group discussions. It might also be a good idea to see what you can find out about the subject in advance of the class but this is not essential.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You will require a pen and paper (or laptop/device) but the tutor will provide all other materials such as handouts. The tutor will show extracts from films and you do not have to obtain them.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please look also for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.
Jon Wisbey teaches film at City Lit and Morley College. He was for many years a committee member and vice-chair of Chelmsford Film Club, screening contemporary and classic world cinema releases. He has an MA in Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. His teaching focuses on classical and post-classical Hollywood, European cinema, British cinema, film noir and horror cinema.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/an-introduction-to-art-cinema236942An introduction to Art Cinemahttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/masters-of-cinema-celine-sciamma-hf397-1080.jpg149149GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/Introductory & general/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/Courses/Online courses228511771548158017311228511771580<p>Establishing itself in the immediate post-war period, initially in Europe and later in world cinemas, art cinema is characterised by distinctive film styles and narrative structures that set it apart from popular forms of cinematic practice and representation. This course will consider its origins and development, its key films and filmmakers, and critical accounts of the concept art of cinema.</p>002993864An introduction to Art Cinema149149https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/masters-of-cinema-celine-sciamma-hf397-1080.jpgInStockEveningFriOnlineAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2026-05-01T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allMay 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHF203149149An introduction to Art Cinema14997149Jon Wisbeyan-introduction-to-art-cinema/hf203-2526<p>Establishing itself in the immediate post-war period, initially in Europe and later in world cinemas, art cinema is characterised by distinctive film styles and narrative structures that set it apart from popular forms of cinematic practice and representation. This course will consider its origins and development, its key films and filmmakers, and critical accounts of the concept art of cinema.</p>0000-Available|2026-05-01 00:00:00<p>This online film studies course looks at art cinema as a film style and mode of production since the 1920s. It will consider its origins in the modernist and avant-garde cinema of Europe in the 1920s in films such as Un chien andalou (Buñuel/Dali 1929), the rise of the European art film post-1945 in films like Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948), Breathless (Godard, 1960), L'Avventura (Antonioni, 1960), Last Year at Marienbad (Resnais, 1961), 8 1/2 (Fellini, 1963), Persona (Bergman, 1966), The Spirit of the Beehive (Erice, 1973), Fear Eats the Soul (Fassbinder, 1974), Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (Akerman,1975), and others, and its presence in Japanese cinema with films such as Woman of the Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964). </p><p>The course will also consider the art film style in popular American filmmaking during the late 1960s and early 1970s through films such as The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967) and The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola,1974), a response to developments in European cinema, but also arising from institutional changes in Hollywood. We will note the continuing presence of the art film since 2000, reconfigured through new directorial styles in films such as Yi Yi (Edward Yang, 2000), Hidden (Michael Haneke, 2005), Columbus (Kogonada, 2017), Parasite (Bong Joon Ho, 2019) and Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi, 2021). We will see that the art film style remains largely consistent in its foregrounding of realism and authorship (the ‘presence’ of the director and his or her style) and its tendency to disrupt narrative continues to contribute to its distinctive formal characteristics.</p><p>Establishing itself in the immediate post-war period, initially in Europe and later in world cinemas, art cinema is characterised by distinctive film styles and narrative structures that set it apart from popular forms of cinematic practice and representation. This course will consider its origins and development, its key films and filmmakers, and critical accounts of the concept art of cinema.</p><p>• Key films and filmmakers, <br/>• Art film style and narrative<br/>• Authorship<br/>• Realism<br/>• Critical accounts of the art cinema<br/>• Production contexts (national cinemas)</p><p>• Identify a range of key films and filmmakers associated with art cinema<br/>• Describe and evaluate art film style, narrative and narration<br/>• Evaluate the concept of authorship in relation to art cinema<br/>• Evaluate the concept of realism in relation to art cinema<br/>• Evaluate a range of critical accounts of the art cinema<br/>• Evaluate the concept of national cinema and its relationship with art cinema </p><p>The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for film and discussing film. The course will provide an introduction to the subject but will also be useful for those wishing to build on existing knowledge in the subject area.</p><p>Screenings of extracts from films, talks by the tutor, reading materials, small and large group discussions. It might also be a good idea to see what you can find out about the subject in advance of the class but this is not essential.</p><p>You will require a pen and paper (or laptop/device) but the tutor will provide all other materials such as handouts. The tutor will show extracts from films and you do not have to obtain them.</p><p>Please look also for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.</p>Film studiesIntroductory & generalvirtual14914997HF203NONEFri01/05/26 - 05/06/2618:00 - 19:3018:0019:306 sessions (over 6 weeks)65-10 weeksEveningWeekdayOnlineOnlineJon WisbeyBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-05-01T00:00:00+00:00May 2026Culture, history & humanities149149An introduction to Art Cinemaan-introduction-to-art-cinema/hf203-2526<p>Establishing itself in the immediate post-war period, initially in Europe and later in world cinemas, art cinema is characterised by distinctive film styles and narrative structures that set it apart from popular forms of cinematic practice and representation. This course will consider its origins and development, its key films and filmmakers, and critical accounts of the concept art of cinema.</p>0000-Available|2026-05-01 00:00:00<p>This online film studies course looks at art cinema as a film style and mode of production since the 1920s. It will consider its origins in the modernist and avant-garde cinema of Europe in the 1920s in films such as Un chien andalou (Buñuel/Dali 1929), the rise of the European art film post-1945 in films like Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948), Breathless (Godard, 1960), L'Avventura (Antonioni, 1960), Last Year at Marienbad (Resnais, 1961), 8 1/2 (Fellini, 1963), Persona (Bergman, 1966), The Spirit of the Beehive (Erice, 1973), Fear Eats the Soul (Fassbinder, 1974), Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (Akerman,1975), and others, and its presence in Japanese cinema with films such as Woman of the Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964). </p><p>The course will also consider the art film style in popular American filmmaking during the late 1960s and early 1970s through films such as The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967) and The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola,1974), a response to developments in European cinema, but also arising from institutional changes in Hollywood. We will note the continuing presence of the art film since 2000, reconfigured through new directorial styles in films such as Yi Yi (Edward Yang, 2000), Hidden (Michael Haneke, 2005), Columbus (Kogonada, 2017), Parasite (Bong Joon Ho, 2019) and Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi, 2021). We will see that the art film style remains largely consistent in its foregrounding of realism and authorship (the ‘presence’ of the director and his or her style) and its tendency to disrupt narrative continues to contribute to its distinctive formal characteristics.</p><p>Establishing itself in the immediate post-war period, initially in Europe and later in world cinemas, art cinema is characterised by distinctive film styles and narrative structures that set it apart from popular forms of cinematic practice and representation. This course will consider its origins and development, its key films and filmmakers, and critical accounts of the concept art of cinema.</p><p>• Key films and filmmakers, <br/>• Art film style and narrative<br/>• Authorship<br/>• Realism<br/>• Critical accounts of the art cinema<br/>• Production contexts (national cinemas)</p><p>• Identify a range of key films and filmmakers associated with art cinema<br/>• Describe and evaluate art film style, narrative and narration<br/>• Evaluate the concept of authorship in relation to art cinema<br/>• Evaluate the concept of realism in relation to art cinema<br/>• Evaluate a range of critical accounts of the art cinema<br/>• Evaluate the concept of national cinema and its relationship with art cinema </p><p>The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for film and discussing film. The course will provide an introduction to the subject but will also be useful for those wishing to build on existing knowledge in the subject area.</p><p>Screenings of extracts from films, talks by the tutor, reading materials, small and large group discussions. It might also be a good idea to see what you can find out about the subject in advance of the class but this is not essential.</p><p>You will require a pen and paper (or laptop/device) but the tutor will provide all other materials such as handouts. The tutor will show extracts from films and you do not have to obtain them.</p><p>Please look also for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.</p>Film studiesIntroductory & generalconfigurable
15481580Introductory & generalhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/film-studies/introductory-general1/2/285/1177/1580/15481/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/Introductory & general
