What is the Film Studies Center at the University of Chicago?

Updated

The Film Studies Center (FSC) is the comprehensive support facility for the Department of Cinema & Media Studies at the University of Chicago. It supports interdisciplinary film scholarship through course screenings, an extensive media collection, and spaces designed for teaching and individual research. Its circulating library of video and digital media and its study/viewing rooms are open to the entire UChicago community, while its public events series is free and open to the public.

What the Center offers

The FSC serves two distinct audiences with two distinct sets of services:

For the UChicago community (students, faculty, staff):

  • A circulating library of video and digital media
  • Study and viewing rooms for individual research and coursework
  • Course screenings tied to Department of Cinema & Media Studies teaching
  • Collections spanning a broad range of cinema history, from early pre-cinematic paraphernalia to celluloid to digital media

For the general public:

  • A public series of film screenings, lectures, workshops, and conferences held throughout the academic year
  • These events are free and open to the public

Who can use it

Service UChicago community General public
Circulating media library Yes Not stated
Study/viewing rooms Yes Not stated
Public screenings, lectures, workshops, conferences Yes Yes, free

The distinction matters: if you are affiliated with UChicago and need to borrow media or book a viewing room, the Center is built for you. If you are not affiliated and want to attend a film or lecture, the public events series is the relevant entry point.

Where it is and how to reach it

Film Studies Center The University of Chicago Cobb Hall 306 5811 South Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637 Phone: 773.702.8596

Office hours are listed on the site.

How to get started

  1. To search the collection: Use the catalog search on the FSC site, or the Advanced Search option for more specific queries.
  2. To attend a public event: Check the current event schedule, or join the public events mailing list to receive announcements.
  3. To explore related programming: The site also links to broader UChicago Arts programming.

If your goal is research or coursework support, start with the catalog and the study/viewing rooms. If your goal is simply to watch films and attend talks, the public events schedule and mailing list are the fastest routes.