Fictional film

A feature film is a film with a fictional story that can be modeled under certain circumstances real events or people. The term is variously defined narrowly:

• Content: it is to be distinguished over other film genres, such as the documentary, the advertising film and movies, which are rotated for the purpose of reporting.

In addition, use the following limitations:

• Technical: Originally the term referred to a character played by actors act, as opposed to animated films ( the trend is here to the term " animation ").
• Duration: has become common the expectation that a feature film is clearly long over an hour, which was formerly known as " full-length " feature film. The opposite of this is the " short film", while the term " feature film " is not used very often.
• Release Form: difference between one used for cinema and television film, so are increasingly being referred to the former as " movies ", even trick - or animation movies.

Feature Films are typically shot by the means of feature film drama based on a screenplay. They make up the overwhelming majority of the films shown in the cinema, and there are a variety of film genres.

In the German -speaking world is - especially in the context of individual episodes of television series - sometimes spoken of films " feature-length ". This can be misunderstood to imply that the duration of a fictional film for its characterization as a feature film had a meaning. What is meant is, however, only that some movies that are not part of a series, in most cases, have a duration of 90 minutes or more, while individual series episodes last usually shorter.

The first feature films

As the inventor of the movie can be the German -born U.S. americans Carl Laemmle in Laupheim call. He founded the Universal Studios in Los Angeles, USA and was instrumental in the production and development of the first feature films. He first recognized that it could inspire the masses for it.

International situation

The feature films produced by the U.S. film companies dominate the international market. In large numbers feature films are also in India ( see also Bollywood ) made ​​, but mainly for the domestic market.

Situation in Germany

Among the countries with a long feature film history including Germany. From the early days at the beginning of the 20th century, especially films by Fritz Lang and Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau to be mentioned, who wrote as a representative of expressionist film at the international level film history. During the period of National Socialism, in many important film directors had to emigrate abroad, could be of international standing of the German feature film production out of the question. Could only many years later build the German auteur film directors such as Volker Schlöndorff, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Wim Wenders to the glorious tradition, albeit mostly "only" in terms of success in film critics and to the award of film awards. Economic success was at the international level - in the coming years - on a few feature film productions such as Das Boot and Run Lola Run limited. In contrast, about the situation in the U.S. broadcasters have traditionally played a major role in the production of feature films. This applies to productions that are produced as television films exclusively for the TV broadcast, but also for cinema productions in which broadcasters are involved.