Focused on film-making, reception and analysis, Film Studies offers students an opportunity to explore the important roles of film and related media in aesthetic creation (art), economic production (industry), and the cultivation of community experience (culture).
Wake Forest University has a rich history of film studies and has offered courses in film aesthetics, history, production and theory since the 1960s. The Minor in Film Studies has grown out of this proud tradition, formally becoming a recognized university program in 2004.
Courses from departments and programs across campus—such as Art, Communication, Documentary Film Program, English, History, Humanities, Religion, Romance Languages, Sociology, Theatre, and Women’s and Gender Studies—emphasize our commitment to an interdisciplinary approach to film study that exposes students to its varied contexts. In our courses, students work with expert faculty and filmmakers who share their passion for film and production and encourage creative, critical, and theoretical thinking about film.
The Film Studies Program is also an integral part of film activities on campus and in the community. We support the student run Reynolda Film Festival as well as numerous screenings, lectures, and workshops with invited guest speakers and industry professionals. Film Studies collaborates with campus departments and community partners to enrich and broaden the experience of film culture at Wake Forest University and in Winston-Salem.