Delivered in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI), this innovative MFA will develop your professional practice in film curation and related fields. The course is delivered by film professionals working in exhibition and distribution, festivals, archives and film criticism, alongside academics and filmmakers, equipping you with everything you need for this industry.
You’ll learn about the practicalities of film exhibition in a wide range of environments, and how this intersects with other areas of film culture and industry, including distribution and archives.
You will also study the practice of film criticism and comment - including reviewing and critically writing about films, filmmakers and the broader culture. You will also create a video essay to develop your skills in audiovisual criticism. The unique learning environment of the NFTS encourages creative dialogue between makers, curators and critics.
As part of the course, you will also attend film festivals and will have the opportunity to curate or contribute to festivals, seasons, pop up screenings and other events.
A rigorous academic framework is combined with practical and real-world applications, enabling you to develop your own skills, knowledge and understanding to provide a strong foundation for a career in film and media.
Throughout the course, you’ll be devising and contributing to programming projects; writing film criticism and reviews and researching and producing video essays. You will also be receiving professional tuition on the theoretical, historical and critical understanding of film, to bring much greater depth to your projects.
You will gain a thorough understanding of the process by which a film moves from a creative idea to an audience experience, and explore the history, theory and critical contexts of film and look at a variety of critical writing.
At the start of the second year, you will undertake a six-week professional work experience engagement at the BFI or an associated organisation. Students are also encouraged to find second work experience opportunities which are aligned with their own interests, with the support of the Head of Department.