On October 7th, The Nation‘s film critic Stuart Klawans joined David Sterrit of the National Society of Film Critics and Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly for a panel discussion moderated by Cinema Journal’s Heather Hendershot on the future of film criticism and the new methods for disseminating thoughtful writing about film. Sitting in CUNY Graduate Center’s Skylight Lounge, Klawans, Sterrit, Schwarzbaum and Hendershot expressed optimism for the upcoming generation of movie makers and critics, saying that though the publishing industry’s shift from print to the web has rendered the older business model of film criticism largely unsustainable, the avenues for exploring cinema’s role in society will only expand with the proliferation of niche websites with engaged readers. The panel also had helpful advice for young reviewers hoping to contribute to the general conversation surrounding film. For more from Klawans, read his most recent Nation article, "Traps," which takes a look at The Social Network, A Film Unfinished and Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today.
—Neima Jahromi
