Film Journalism (Session 1)

This course is designed for students with a serious interest in writing about movies for print and digital media. Students will report on various film topics, develop original article ideas, and collaborate with peers on pitching and shaping stories. Weekly screenings of contemporary and essential films are complemented by close readings of key works by François Truffaut, Pauline Kael, Peter Bogdanovich, Molly Haskell, and Donald Bogle to deepen their understanding of cinema as an art form.

The class equips students with a working knowledge of the film industry, including the ability to identify and describe major movements and pioneering artists. Students will attend and cover the 2026 Tribeca Festival (pre-approved for press credentials). Other planned class trips include Film at Lincoln Center, which hosts the New York Film Festival, and the Criterion Collection, which functions as a “kind of film Hall of Fame.” The course includes topic-inspired lessons, presentations, and pop-up workshops focusing on journalism skills and ethics. Guest speakers offer guidance on reporting techniques and the forces transforming modern film. By the time the course concludes, students will have raised their cinema I.Q. and completed several publishable, well-sourced articles.

Note: Counts as an elective for the journalism major and both journalism minors.