Introduction

Since the very first film was shot in Leeds in 1888, cinema has evolved into one of the most dominant forces in contemporary culture, shaping our understanding of the world and our place within it. At both undergraduate and postgraduate level, Film Studies at Lancaster offers you the opportunity to study cinema and its history from a variety of angles, developing a critical understanding of cinema’s development from Victorian novelty to global media business. You will be supported by a dedicated team of full-time staff, including published academics who work internationally and have expertise across various areas of film theory.

Our approach to the study of cinema is underpinned by film theory, a rich body of academic thought that draws on art theory, literary theory, social and political theory, philosophy and psychoanalysis to give us a deeper appreciation of the aesthetic and intellectual complexity of cinema, and a keener understanding of how films shape our identities and experience.