IB Film SL study guide
IB Film SL · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
IB Film SL is the standard-level film course within the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. It suits students who want to study cinema seriously as an art form and as a cultural practice, and who are willing to analyse films closely, research contexts, and make their own short films. Because it is a school-taught course, you enrol through an IB World School rather than registering as an individual candidate. The course is assessed through coursework rather than a written multiple-choice paper. Topics on this exam: Textual analysis of film (film language, genre, narrative, authorship, and close reading of sequences), Comparative study of film (cross-cultural comparison, theoretical frameworks, and researched contexts), Film portfolio / production work (practical filmmaking, creative intention, and reflective process), and Collaborative project and research skills (planning, collaboration, and film terminology). The IB Film SL study guide has 4 sections and about 1,700 words.
01Textual Analysis of Film: Close Reading with Film Language
The SL textual analysis is an external written task (1,750 words, 30 marks, 30% of the final grade). You analyse a short extract - roughly five minutes - from a film on the prescribed list.
455 words, about 2 min02Comparative Study: Cross-Cultural Argument and Theoretical Frameworks
The comparative study (30% at SL) is a recorded multimedia presentation comparing two films from different cultural contexts. It tests researched, comparative argument: how context and theory shape meaning in both films, not two separate mini-analyses stapled together.
406 words, about 2 min03Film Portfolio: Creative Intention, Production Roles and Reflection
The film portfolio is the largest SL component at 40%. It combines a film reel with a written portfolio and requires work in at least three production roles.
416 words, about 2 min04Collaboration, Planning and Research Skills
At SL there is no separate collaborative film project - that is an HL component - but the same competencies are examined through the researched comparative study and through collaborative production in the portfolio. This domain tests planning discipline, teamwork with evidence, source handling and precise film terminology.
423 words, about 2 min