Film Studies A Level

Archbishops School, The

The Archbishop's School, St Stephen's Hill, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7AP

GCE A/AS Level or Equivalent

Level 3

Available start dates

Tuesday, 01 September 2026

Archbishops School

2 Year(s)

Full time

Daytime/working hours

Application Instructions

Applications Open – 4th November 2025 @ 9am

Applications Close – 1st June 2026 @ 5pm

Entry Requirements – Specific to the Subject

How to Apply – Please apply via KentChoices

Course Summary

Film is one of the major art forms of the 20th and 21st century. You will study significant movements of this art form and start to explore issues from modern day to times gone by; whether it be political, social or historical.

Course Details

Film Studies at Archbishop’s has been designed with our students in mind and, as such, we will study a range of films which represent a diverse ethnic background; promote women directors and a variety of cultural experiences. The specification offers a wide choice of over forty films, of which we will study 11 in depth.

• Component 1: American and British Film. This component assesses knowledge and understanding of six feature length films.

Section A: Hollywood 1930-1990 (comparative study)

One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two Hollywood films, one from the

Classical Hollywood period (1930-1960) and the other from the New Hollywood period

(1961-1990).

Section B: American film since 2005 (two-film study)

One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two American films, one mainstream

film and one contemporary independent film.

Section C: British film since 1995 (two-film study)

One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two British films.

• Component 2: Varieties of film. This component assesses knowledge and understanding of five feature-length films and one compilation of short films.

Section A: Global film (two-film study)

One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to two global films: one European and one produced outside Europe.

• Section B: Documentary film

One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one documentary film.

• Section C: Film movements – Silent cinema

One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one silent film or group of films.

• Section D: Film movements – Experimental film (1960-2000)

One question from a choice of two, requiring reference to one film option.

• Component 3: Production. This component assesses one production and its evaluative analysis. Learners produce: either a) a short film (4-5 minutes) or b) a screenplay for a short film and a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay, plus an evaluative analysis (1250-1500 words).

This component assesses one production and its evaluative analysis. Learners produce:

either

• a short film (4-5 minutes) or a screenplay for a short film (1600-1800 words) plus a digitally photographed storyboard of a key section from the screenplay

• an evaluative analysis (1600 - 1800 words).

How will it be delivered and assessed?

70% External Examination, 30% Internal assessment.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirements are 5 Grade 4 and above GCSE’s, including English and Mathematics and at least Grade 5 in GCSE English. An interest in film or cinema is desirable.

Your next steps...

Career opportunities are numerous and could include work within the film and television industry, journalism, advertising and education, as well as many other options.

For more courses like this, check our courses page.