Film Studies: Reference Sources

Film Overviews

An Intersectional Lens: Towards a Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC) Film Canon
Annotated bibliography of 60+ films addressing the many different aspects of life as a Queer or Trans Person of Color (QTPOC) in the United States. The films can all be found in the A-Z list from the main page, but they are also organized by racial/ethnic/religious categories as well as sexuality/gender/sub-cultural categories. This project was created by Michael Mungin, UWB/CC Research & Instruction Librarian, with support from a Carnegie-Whitney Grant from the American Libraries Association.

American Film Institute Catalog This link opens in a new window
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National filmography for American films. Includes citations for trade journals from the silent era to 1971.

The Internet Movie Database
An extensive catalog data about movies, actors, and directors. An excellent source for for finding photographs, movie posters, trailers, and films stills.
National Film Registry
List of films deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" that are earmarked for preservation by the Library of Congress.

A Short Guide to Writing about Film
Call Number: UW Bothell/CC Library Writing - 1st floor: PN1995 .C66 2015 (other editions 3rd floor)
Publication Date: 2015
A succinct guide to thinking critically and writing precisely about film.
Using Film As a Source
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2015
A hands-on study skills guide that explores how film and moving image can be used as sources.
Writing about Movies
Call Number: UW Bothell/CC Library 3rd Floor Stacks: PN1995 .G547 2016
Publication Date: 2016
A handy guide to the process of academic writing and a brief but thorough introduction to the basics of film form, film theory, and film analysis.

Best Pick: A Journey through Film History and the Academy Awards
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2022
Provides a decade-by-decade exploration of the Oscars. For each decade, the authors examine the making of classic films, trends and innovations in cinema, behind-the-scenes scandals at the awards ceremony, and who won and why.
Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2018
Providing accessible coverage of a comprehensive range of genres, movements, theories and production terms.
Fifty Contemporary Film Directors
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2010
Examines the work of some of today's most popular and influential cinematic figures.
Queer Cinema in America: an Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Films, Characters, and Stories
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2019
Included are alphabetically arranged entries on stars, directors, films, themes, and other topics related to queer cinema in America, including films and persons from outside the U.S. who nonetheless figured prominently in America popular culture.
The Routledge Encyclopedia of Films
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2014
200 essays by leading film scholars analyzing the most important, influential, innovative and interesting films of all time.
The Routledge Encyclopedia of Film Theory
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2013
An international reference work representing the essential ideas and concepts of film theory.