Abstract

Film geography as a research area deals with the multi-layered, cinematographically generated geographical imaginations and their interconnections and effects manifested in our everyday world. This chapter explores how and in which perspectives geography engages with the subject of film. It provides an overview on how film geography, as a unique geographical perspective, has evolved and furthermore tackles six exemplary research areas that are identifiable as current key issues of film geography: geography in film, geography of film, screen tourism, cinematic cartography, didactics of geography and critical film geography, and film as a methodological instrument and medium of communication in research. For each of these subjects, the chapter provides a review of relevant literature as well as practical examples to illustrate the ways in which they can be addressed in the context of geographic studies. The author seeks to highlight the crucial role that the multifaceted engagement with the filmic contents and visual materials plays in the edifice of media geography—not only in terms of theoretical discussions and studies, but also as a methodological tool. The chapter seeks to encourage future film geographers to consequently study and critically reflect on issues arising from this fascinating field of study.