Scaling the heady peaks of auteurship and sliding down the scree slopes of wanton hackery, Empire’s Film Studies 101 tackles everything from the birth of cinema to the technical wizardy of great cinematographers.
We’ve explained what a key grip does and revealed why an on-set honeywagon is a really terrible place to look for a snack. Now it’s time for things get real – neoreal, even – with a guide to the key movements that have defined cinema from the silent era to the present day. Don your brainiest specs and follow us on a journey. A journey through time.
1. French Impressionism
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/french-impressionism-movie-era/french-impressionism-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
2. German Expressionism
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/german-expressionism-movie-era/german-expressionism-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
3.Soviet Montage
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/soviet-montage-movie-era/soviet-montage-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
4.Documentary Film Movement
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/documentary-film-movement-era/documentary-film-movement-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
5.Poetic Realism
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/poetic-realism-movie-era/poetic-realism-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
6.Italian Neorealism
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/italian-neorealism-movie-era/italian-neorealism-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
7.The Polish School
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/polish-school-movie-era/polish-school-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
8.Free Cinema
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/free-cinema-movie-era/free-cinema-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
9.Direct Cinema
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/direct-cinema-movie-era/direct-cinema-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
10.British New Wave
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/british-new-wave-movie-era/british-new-wave-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
11.French New Wave
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/french-new-wave-movie-era/french-new-wave-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
12.Cinema Novo
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/cinema-novo-movie-era/cinema-novo-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
13.Czech New Wave
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/czech-new-wave-movie-era/czech-new-wave-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
14.The Movie Brats
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/movie-brats-movie-era/movie-brats-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
15.LA Rebellion
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/la-rebellion-movie-era/la-rebellion-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
16.New German Cinema
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/new-german-cinema-movie-era/new-german-cinema-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
17.Japanese New Wave
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/japanese-new-wave-movie-era/japanese-new-wave-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
18.Australian New Wave
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/australian-new-wave-movie-era/australian-new-wave-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
19.Cinéma Du Look
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/cinema-du-look-movie-era/cinema-du-look-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
20. New Queer Cinema 1990 - 1995
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/new-queer-cinema-era/new-queer-cinema-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
21. Dogme 95
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/dogme95-movie-era/dogme95-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
22. Mumblecore
](http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/mumblecore-movie-era/mumblecore-movie-era?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)