Submissions


All manuscripts are evaluated on the basis of their contributions to the academic study of film and moving-image media and should follow accepted standards for scholarly work. We will not accept manuscripts that have been published, accepted or submitted elsewhere. Film Criticism does not have Article Processing Charges (APCs) or article submission charges.

We recommend queries from potential authors before submission. Questions about article submissions should be directed to the co-editors Joe Tompkins, Doyle Greene and Walter Metz at filmcrit@allegheny.edu. Questions about book review submissions can be sent to Alice Leppert (aleppert@ursinus.edu), and questions about film festival reviews can be sent to Gerd Gemunden (gerd.gemunden@dartmouth.edu).

Manuscripts should be a minimum of 5,000 words long and a maximum of 7,000 words (including endnotes and references); they should be double-spaced and submitted in electronic form as a Word (.doc or .docx) file to filmcrit@allegheny.edu. Submissions should adhere to the notes and bibliography format outlined in the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition (http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html). All bibliographic information should be in endnotes, and submissions should not include an additional bibliography. Submissions should also include a cover page with: (a) all authors’ names, academic affiliations, and e-mail addresses; (b) author biography, no more than 70 words in length; and (c) an abstract of 150 words or fewer. Film Criticism only accepts submissions from authors directly and no intermediary submissions. Submissions that do not follow the above guidelines will be sent back to authors for necessary corrections.

You should receive an acknowledgment of your submission within ten days (if not, feel free to inquire). Each submission that meets our basic requirements will be sent to members of the editorial board for anonymous review. Reviewers will read the work carefully and provide a thorough report as voluntary service to the journal. Most essays published in FC have undergone some kind of revision; just as important, most of the manuscripts we return will receive suggestions for improvement or resubmission elsewhere. This process can take three to six months. Currently, FC has a 15% acceptance rate.

We also invite proposals for special issues. Please see our “Guidelines for Guest Editors.”