Overview
- An Atlantic survey of 20 film-studies professors describes students checking phones during screenings and struggling to stay engaged.
- Internal metrics cited from Indiana University indicate fewer than half of students started assigned films on the campus platform and about one in five finished.
- A University of Wisconsin–Madison professor reported many students missed a basic exam question about a classic film, highlighting comprehension gaps.
- Faculty and administrators say mandatory in-person screenings risk lowering enrollment, leading many courses to allow at-home viewing and assign select segments.
- Industry observers note a parallel trend in which many Gen Z viewers actively participate in film culture, including the so-called Letterboxd generation.