Chicago Film Cultures

Undergraduate / Graduate

This Arts Core course examines the rich and vibrant cultures surrounding cinema in Chicago, from depictions of the city on screen, to film production from the silent era to the present day, to moviegoing culture from movie palaces to microcinemas. Students will study past and current film cultures in Chicago by examining particular films, events, venues, and critics. Topics covered will include the cinematic image of Chicago, film exhibition, audience and fan culture studies (with attention to Chicago's particular demographic contours), and contemporary television and digital media production in the city.