FT3FF: Film Programming and Film Festivals

Module code: FT3FF

Module provider: Film, Theatre and TV; School of Arts and Comm Design

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Lucia Nagib , email: l.nagib@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 16 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This is a team-taught module, drawing both on representatives from the industry and on strength across the university. Through a dynamic combination of lectures, seminars  and group projects, the module will equip students with advanced knowledge of modes of programming arthouse, alternative and experimental venues, as well as organising film festivals. Film festivals work as an effective (and sometimes unfair) filter of the kind of world cinema distributed to commercial and alternative venues around the world. Winners of Cannes, Venice and Berlin will almost certainly find worldwide distribution, as opposed to thousands of other films, which will run through minor festival circuits in the hope of accessing smaller or niche venues and audiences. Film festivals (such as Sundance, Rotterdam and others) are also closely connected with funding systems for independent filmmakers, who will format their projects with a view to satisfying their requirements. Understanding how both film festivals and film programming work is hence key to understanding the kind of world cinema we watch.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Have an in-depth understanding of the programming structure of arthouse, alternative and experimental venues
2. Have an in-depth knowledge of the workings of film festivals, be they major, minor, competitive, non-competitive, thematic, genre-oriented or experimental
3. Have a comprehensive understanding of the filtering process promoted by the pool of world festivals and the consequences the funding practices promoted by film festivals
4. Develop practical projects in film programming and film festivals
5. Critically view the mainstream and alternative markets for world cinema
6. Understand the degree of interdependence that can be ascribed to film festivals and commercial/non-commercial film venues

Module content

Indicative topics include:

• the history and geography of film festivals
• the history and international development of the arthouse and alternative circuits
• the logic and consequences of the festival filter
• the question of independence in arthouse and alternative venues
• the question of independence in filmmaking
• an arthouse case study
• a major festival case study
• an experimental venue case study
• Group project: preparing a portfolio for a film season

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This is a team-taught module drawing on academic and industry-based expertise. There will be a combination of theoretical, historical and practical seminars and visits addressing the main issues in the history, geography and development of film programming and festivals worldwide. Students will be active participants throughout, being the main drive in the conception and execution of the group project and written portfolio.

Study hours

At least 6 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.