Research Guides: European Film: Home

European Film: Selected Images

Image of Cuban film poster for Festival du film Français, of a couple dancing.

Film Francés. Festival du film Français a Cuba

Film poster, Film Francés. Festival du film Français a Cuba, via UCLA Library International Digital Ephemera Project.

Source repository, Cinemateca de Cuba, Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos

Film poster image from the film Flow, with a black cat floating under water with film title.

Flow film poster

Flow (dir. Gints Zilbalodis, 2024)
Film poster from Flow, the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award.

Image of Bjork in a green dress, walking

Dancer in the Dark (dir. Lars Von Trier, 2000)

Film still from Danish director Lars Von Trier's Dancer in the Dark, from FilmGrab.

Film still from Bulgarian National Film Archive newsreels

ПРЕГЛЕДЪ 96 (1943)

Film still from Bulgarian National Film Archive: Pre-socialist cinema and newsreels, via European Film Gateway.

Film still of person walking with a backpack alongside a desolate road.

Vagabond (dir. Agnès Varda, 1985)

Film still from French director Agnès Varda's Vagabond, from FilmGrab.

Film still of female robot from Metropolis

Metropolis (dir. Fritz Lang, 1927)

Film still from Austrian/German director Fritz Lang's Metropolis, from FilmGrab.

Image of three young men with bags, standing next to a wall with graffiti.

The Tribe (dir. Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi, 2014)

Film still from Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi's The Tribe, from FilmGrab.

All About My Mother (dir. Pedro Almodóvar, 1999)

Film still from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's All About My Mother, from FilmGrab.

film still of figure walking on a flat area, with buildings in far distance

Krakatit (dir. Otakar Vávra, 1948)

Film still from Czech director Otakar Vávra's Krakatit, from FilmGrab.

Film still of woman holding a knife, crouched back in terror.

Suspiria (dir. Dario Argento, 1977)

Film still from Italian director Dario Argento's Suspiria, from FilmGrab.

Film still of man sitting on bench, smoking.

From the East (dir. Chantal Akerman, 1993)

Film still from Belgian director Chantal Akerman's documentary, From the East, from FilmGrab.

Introduction

This guide was originally developed in 2022 with contributions by UCLA Arts Library Student Research Assistants Marie Fucile and Jenny Le, in collaboration and consultation with Alena Aissing, Nora Avetyan, Sohaib Baig, Diana King, Gissel Rios, Shannon Tanhayi Ahari, and Matthew Vest. New resources will be added over time to supplement the content.

While the potential scope of European film studies is vast, this guide is intended as an entry point for the study of European film generally, and by selected individual country and regional filmmaking practices. It highlights major titles held at the UCLA Library, and some additional online resources with a primary focus on continental Europe. While many of the resources listed are written in English or English translation, some are available primarily in their original language.

The curators of the guide recognize that geopolitical boundaries, political affiliations, and country names have changed over time, are often contested, and that any resources listed should be contextualized by date of publication, authorship, purported authority, language/translation, and evolving scholarly practice.

Attention has been paid to include equitable representation of Eastern, Central, and Western Europe. We recognize that a prioritization of Western European cinema and an uncritical elision of Soviet (approximately 15 republics) and "Russian" cinema that ignores colonialist and imperialist repression have often been disproportionally prominent in English-language scholarship. Resources listed here are not intended to be comprehensive, but rather an introduction for researchers to available books, periodicals, online sources, and films. Researchers are encouraged to explore resources beyond those listed in the guide, both at UCLA Library and beyond.

European Film Reference Sources

Bloomsbury International Encyclopedia of Surrealism This link opens in a new window Comprehensive overview of 20th century surrealist movements, including coverage of painting, literature, film, photography, music, theatre, architecture, fashion and design.

Destination Hollywood: The Influence of Europeans on American Filmmaking Includes country overviews, and individual entries on filmmakers.
Directory of World Cinema series Ongoing monographic series with major surveys of national cinemas.
Encyclopedia of European Cinema (1995)
Encyclopédie du film d'histoire French language 4-volume encyclopedia covering the depiction of history on film.
Europeana Includes digitized books, paintings, photographs, recordings and films from over 2,200 contributing cultural heritage organisations across Europe.
European Film Companies Contemporary film company directory for Europe, from Film Platforms.
European Film Gateway Gateway to films, photographs, and ephemera from European film archives and cinémathèques.

FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals This link opens in a new window Searches film and television articles in the International Index to Film Periodicals (1972-current) and Treasures from the Film Archives, which contains silent film-era listings from archives.

filmarchives online Catalog of film archives from across Europe, with an emphasis on non-fiction documentary, newsreel, and educational content. Some streaming video also available.
Film History: An Introduction (2010) Textbook survey that includes world cinema history basics from different regions.
Film Index International Provides in-depth indexing of international films from the silent period to the present, with selected biographical information, searchable plot summaries, and full cast and crew lists. Based on the Summary of Film and Television database maintained by the British Film Institute.
Gaumont Filmography 1896-1929
International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers Online via Gale Ebooks. Search by film title or name of director, actor, or designer. Print editions (including earlier ones with different coverage) are available in the Arts Library.
International Encyclopedia of Media Studies Encyclopedia arranged across 7 thematic volumes that explore media studies through history, production, content, audiences, effects, and futures.
The International Film Industry: A Historical Dictionary (1989) Published in 1989, an historical A-Z dictionary from Anthony Slide covering major historical international film studios, technologies, etc.
International Film, Radio, and Television Journals (1985) Edited by Anthony Slide. Very useful entries on the history and development of major film journals and magazines.
Journeys of Desire: European Actors in Hollywood Includes essays on film trade, European actors, émigré actors, and a dictionary of European actors in Hollywood.

Oxford Bibliographies Online: Cinema and Media Studies This link opens in a new window Annotated bibliographies for topics in the field of Cinema and Media Studies. Combines encyclopedia-style introductions with expert recommendations of the most important reference works, books, journals, and primary sources on the topic.
Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window Oxford Handbooks, now a part of Oxford Academic, provide review articles which summarize and analyze current research and trends in a given discipline. UCLA subscribes to most Oxford Handbooks Online, excluding a few individual titles.

Public Moving Image Archives and Research Centers Directory from the Library of Congress listing international film archives and U.S. archives by state.

Routledge Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window Handbooks covering a wide range of humanities, social sciences, psychology and some science topics, published by Routledge, Ashgate and other imprints. Some CRC Press handbooks can also be accessed via this particular site.

Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film Online via Gale Ebooks. The print volumes of this set are also available at the Arts Library. Good for coverage of national cinemas and major genres.

Screen Studies This link opens in a new window Offers searchable access to screenplays, reference works, and books on cinema, including coverage of techniques for filmmaking and screenwriting. UCLA provides access to core content and 2019-2023 annual updates from Bloomsbury and Faber Screenplays and Criticism.

Senses of Cinema Internet metasite with selected information on major directors and short critical articles.
Variety International Film Guide Also known as the International Film Guide, this long-running series covers spotlights of individual countries, festivals, and more from 1964-2012.
Wiley Film Companions Individual volumes on directors and other topics, published by Wiley.
World Film Directors (1987)

Audiovisual Lexicon for Media Analysis Project from the University of Michigan: "a growing library of three-minute streaming videos, each of which features a different expert recruited from cinema and media studies faculty across the world explaining a specific critical media studies term and illustrating how it can be applied to analyze selected film, television, and media examples."
Dictionary of Cinema Sound and Music in Six Languages
A Dictionary of Film Studies Written by experts in the field, this dictionary covers all aspects of film studies, including terms, concepts, debates, and movements in film theory and criticism, national, international and transnational cinemas, film history, film movements and genres, film industry organizations andpractices, and key technical terms and concepts.
Screenlex Online pronunciation guide for media studies. A good tool for prepping verbal presentations in the field.

Vocabulaire du cinéma Film vocabulary by Council of Europe; Nooten, S. I. van In French, English, Dutch, Italian, German, Spanish, Danish.
Date: 1968

Yale Film Analysis Website from Yale with dictionary of vocabulary for film studies and the techniques of cinema.

The BFI Companion to Eastern European and Russian Cinema by Nancy Wood (Editor); Dina Iordanova (Editor) This work maps the rich, varied cinema of Eastern Europe, Russia and the former USSR. Over 200 entries cover a variety of topics spanning a century of endeavour and turbulent history from Czech animation to Soviet montage. It includes entries on actors and directors and key figures like Eisenstein.
ISBN: 9780851707532
Date: 2000-03-28
The BFI Companion to German Cinema by Thomas Elsaesser; Michael Wedel (Editor); Martin Wedel (Editor) Over two hundred entries on film actors, directors, producers, cinematographers, critics, film industry, film movements and festivals cover the entire spectrum of German-speaking cinema from the 1890s to the popular comedies of the 1990s.
ISBN: 9780851707501
Date: 2000-05-01
Cinema in Central Asia by Michael Rouland (Editor); Gulnara Abikeyeva (Editor); Birgit Beumers (Editor) Cinema in Central Asia is the first comprehensive and up-to-date account of the cinema of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan from its origins to the present day. Bringing together specialists from Central Asia, Russia, Europe and the United States, this companion to the cinema of the region combines serious scholarly study with practical accessibility to construct an historical narrative, discuss aspects of film production and consider the impact of film. The book also offers a deeper understanding of Central Asian culture that is invaluable with the geopolitical and economic emergence of this exciting region. The book opens with a broad history, paying particular attention to the emergence and expansion of the film industry, competing visions of nationalism and distinct phases of the post-Soviet film experience. A series of incisive articles written by specialists on Central Asian film follows. They explain early film institutions and themes, the impact of the Second World War, expressions of identity and protest during the Soviet era, as well as regional variations of post-Soviet filmmaking and political involvement. The final section comprises biographical and filmographical entries on the principal figures of Central Asian cinema that offer a much-needed reference for scholars and filmgoers.
ISBN: 9781845119010
Date: 2013-09-17
Cinema of the Other Europe: The Industry and Artistry of East Central European Film by Dina Iordanova Cinema of the Other Europe: The Industry and Artistry of East Central European Film is a comprehensive study of the cinematic traditions of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia from 1945 to the present day, exploring the major schools of filmmaking and the main stages of development across the region during the period of state socialism up until the end of the Cold War, as well as more recent transformations post-1989. In encouraging a more inclusive and comprehensive understanding of European cinema, much needed for the new unified Europe `enlarged' towards its Eastern periphery, this book maps out the interactions, key concerns, thematic spheres and stylistic particularities that make the cinema of East Central Europe a vital part of European film tradition. Cinema of the Other Europe is thus a timely appraisal of Film Studies debates ranging from the representation of history and memory, the reassessment of political content, ethics and society, the rehabilitation of popular cinema, and the rethinking of national and regional cinemas in the context of globalisation.
ISBN: 1903364612
Date: 2004-03-17
Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film by Oliver Leaman (Editor) Includes chapter on Turkish cinema.
ISBN: 9780415187039
Date: 2001-10-12
The Concise Cinegraph by Hans-Michael, Bock (Editor); Tim, Bergfelder (Editor) First published in 1984 but continuously updated ever since, CineGraph is the most authoritative and comprehensive encyclopedia on German-speaking cinema in the German language. This condensed and substantially revised English-language edition makes this important resource available to students and researchers for the first time outside its German context. It offers a representative historical overview through bio-filmographical entries on the main protagonists, from the beginnings to the present day. An appendix includes short introductory essays on specific periods and movements, such as Early Film, Weimar, Nazi Cinema, DEFA, New German Cinema, and German film since unification, as well as on cinematic developments in Austria and Switzerland. See also the German-language Cinegraph: Lexikon zum deutschsprachigen Film.
ISBN: 9781571816559
Date: 2009-09-01
Deutsche Tonfilme : Filmlexikon der abendfüllenden deutschen und deutschsprachigen Tonfilme nach ihren deutschen Uraufführungen 1. Jahrgang 1929/30 -- 2. Jahrgang 1931 -- 3. Jahrgang 1932 -- 4. Jahrgang 1933 -- 5. Jahrgang 1934 -- 6. Jahrgang 1935 -- 7. Jahrgang 1936 -- 8. Jahrgang 1937 -- 9. Jahrgang 1938 -- 10. Jahrgang 1939 -- 11. Jahrgang 1940/41 -- 12. Jahrgang 1942/43 -- 13. Jahrgang 1944/45 -- 14. Ergänzungen 1929/30-1945 -- 15. Gesamtregister
ISBN: 3927352004
The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Films by Salvador Murguia; Alex Pinar The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Films features nearly 300 entries on the written by a host of international scholars and film critics. Beginning with movies released after Franco’s death, this volume documents four decades of films, directors, actresses and actors of Spanish cinema. Offering a comprehensive survey of films, the entries address such topics as art, culture, society and politics. Each includes comprehensive production details and provides brief suggestions for further reading. Through its examination of the films of the post-Franco period, this volume offers readers valuable insights into Spanish history, politics, and culture.
ISBN: 9781442271333
Date: 2018-01-01
Historical Dictionary of French Cinema by Dayna Oscherwitz; MaryEllen Higgins This book includes a chronology, an introduction, photographs, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on many of the major actors, directors, films, movements, producers, and studios associated with French cinema
ISBN: 9780810854918
Date: 2007-03-27
Historical Dictionary of German Cinema by Robert C. Reimer; Carol J. Reimer This second edition of Historical Dictionary of German Cinema contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 200 cross-referenced entries on directors, actors, films, cinematographers, composers, producers, and major historical events that greatly affected the direction and development of German cinema.
ISBN: 1538119390
Date: 2019-07-15
Historical Dictionary of Italian Cinema by Gino Moliterno This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Italian Cinema contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 400 cross-referenced entries on major movements, directors, actors, actresses, film genres, producers, industry organizations and key films.
ISBN: 9781538119471
Date: 2020-12-08
Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof In 1902, scientist and inventor Kazimierz Prószynski made the first Polish narrative film, The Return of a Merry Fellow (Powrót Birbanta). Since then, the Polish film industry has produced a diverse body of work, ranging from patriotic melodramas and epic adaptations of the national literary canon to Yiddish cinema and films portraying the corrupted side of communism.
ISBN: 9780810855663
Date: 2007-09-19
Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema by Peter Rollberg Contains numerous entries on individual Ukrainian filmmakers and Ukrainian film as a standalone entry.
ISBN: 1442268425
Date: 2016-07-10
Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema by John Sundholm The dictionary section, with over 400 substantial entries, looks at the situation in greater detail, with over 400 substantial entries on major actors, directors and others, significant films, various genres and themes, and subjects such as animation, ethnicity, migration and censorship.
ISBN: 0810878992
Date: 2013-01-01
Historical Dictionary of Spanish Cinema by Alberto Mira Provides a better understanding of the role Spanish cinema has played in film history through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on producers, directors, film companies, actors, and films.
ISBN: 9780810859579
Date: 2010-04-28
Histoire du cinéma français: encyclopédie des films by Maurice Bessy, Raymond Chirat
ISBN: 9782857043034
Date: 1986-

Additional UCLA Library Research Guides

While this guide is intended as a starting place for the study of European film, researchers are encouraged to explore these additional guides curated by subject specialists.