What is the difference between film and cinema?

Max: What is the difference between film and cinema?
I know there is a difference because my university offers majors in both film and cinema (my major is not related to the arts so I am completely clueless here), but I have absolutely no idea what it could be. I have always believed that the two terms are synonymous… . Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Max

Answers and Views:

Answer by B-Jo
When it comes to discussing the culture of a particular country, at first glance it seems to be homogenous phenomenon. However, as can be easily noticed, culture can be divided into various branches. At least two of them can be distinguished as well-known, popular and those which attract attention in almost every country in the world: Cinema and Theatre. In my composition I would like to compare them by taking into account three main aspects: structure, history and range of the subject matter.
Firstly, both of them are connected with actors play, script, plot, music. Regardless of where we spend our spare time – in the theatre or in front of the cinema screen, each of these points will be present. Obviously they will differ in some aspects such as language used by actors, music which is being played in the background, structure of the plot etc. It is laso worth mentioning the difference between the effort which must be put and experience of the actors when it comes to playing in the movies and in the theatre. I think it is obvious that playing in the theatre requires years of practicing your memory and improving your abilities. In my opinion being a theatrical actor is a bigger chalenge than playing in movies.
Secondly, both cinema and theatre have the same history and roots. In the begeaning there was a theatre which took its first steps in Ancient Greece. Tragedy, comedy and satyried plays were the earliest theatrical forms in the world. As far as the technology was modernised people were looking for something new, state-of-the-art. In the 1860s the first two-dimensonal images in motion were demonstrated. After many years of improving and innovating a lot of breakthroughs were introduced which are alltogether called special effects. However, many viewers aren’t attracted by them and choose spontanious, old-fashioned theatre with a specific sense of realism. However, what we have to remember is that both cinema and theatre have the same origin which makes them strictly connected with one another.
Finally one of the many differences between these two art-forms is that cinema has a much wider range of subject matter than theatre which is usually based on literature. Movies present almost every aspect of our life, bring up topics and histories which may concern almost every viewer, unlike theatrical plays which are usually based on literary work, however it is not a rule.
In conclusion theatre has been changing for centuries. Nowadays we can distinguish two main branches: film and theatrical production which are similar when it comes to their roots, origin and structure including actors, music, script, plot etc. However, one of the differences between these two forms is that movies range of subject mater is much wider. Despite similarities and differences, both cinema and theatre have their true followers who are attracted by their originality, charm and entertaining values.

Answer by Sandy Burns
As for college majors, Film probably refers to filmmaking, and Cinema (or Cinema Studies) refers to the history and analysis of film.

Answer by n_prithivi
FILM: It means capturing an incident or story in camera……
it is a motion picture with some sense… you may say that every video will have a sense….. I don’t think so………..
EXAMPLE: imagine we have a video of 2 mins. that shows a car that is moving on a road, for full 2 mins (this has no meaning)this is a video.
imagine we have a video of 2 mins. that shows a car moving on the road and met with an accident..(this has a meaning)this is a film.

CINEMA: a cinema is a show where a captured incident or story is played for audiance.