Synonyms

art film

American

[ahrt film] / ˈɑrt ˌfɪlm /

noun

a movie made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit, often of an experimental nature or having an unconventional or highly symbolic content, aimed typically at a limited audience.

Etymology

Origin of art film

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

art film

State of the art film stock brought sharper, colour images to audiences.

From BBC ● May 9, 2026

Nonetheless, she made pioneering installation art, film and photography, much of which she called “earth-body” work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026

“I love ‘Hacks’ and think Hannah displays incredible acting chops, but it’s a sitcom, and I’m making something more of an art film.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2025

“Poor Things” collected $117 million, a solid total for a surreal art film.

From New York Times ● Apr. 14, 2024

Originally that meant exploring the dynamic relationship between a "text" — which could be writing, visual art, film or something else — and its social context.

From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2024

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023