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art film

American  
[ahrt film] / ˈɑrt ˌfɪlm /

noun

  1. 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:

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

From “A Separate Peace” to “Mean Girls: The Musical,” that teetering cusp between childhood and adulthood has fueled more modern literature, music, art, film and television than any four-year period save, perhaps, the world wars.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 3, 2024

“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

"He was extremely talented at so many things - music, art, film making, comedy - and pursued all of them passionately."

From BBC Nov. 17, 2023

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