nonfilm

Nonfilm is a term used in film and media studies to describe works that intentionally fall outside conventional film form. It is not a single genre with strict boundaries; rather, it encompasses a range of practices that challenge the assumptions of what a film should be, including narrative structure, editing, shooting methods, and the relationship between projection and viewing space.

Historically, the term arose in avant-garde and experimental circles from the 1960s onward, where artists sought to question cinema as the sole medium for time-based art. Nonfilm practices often treated film as raw material or as a step in broader art installations, and sometimes used camera-less techniques, everyday documentation, or performative events presented in galleries or theatres.

Common characteristics include non-narrative or diaristic content, long takes or single-shot structures, non-traditional or absence of editing conventions, and an emphasis on materiality, process, or the viewer's perception. Works may be shot on film, video, or digital formats, and are frequently shown in contexts beyond standard cinemas, such as galleries or as installations.

Reception has been diverse: some critics view nonfilm as a legitimate expansion of cinema’s boundaries, while others see it as a loose label for disparate experiments. The term remains underdefined and overlapping with related concepts such as experimental film, video art, and installation art.

See also: experimental film, avant-garde cinema, diary film, video art, installation art, film theory.