Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies at University of Essex

28/05/2026

From careers in Theatre, Production, Film, Marketing, PR and Publishing, find out from professionals in in the industry how you can improve your application technique, reach out to employers and more.

Get your questions answered! And take a positive step forward with your career in the creative industry.

All events are on Zoom and bookable via CareerHub.

Advice from the Mercury Theatre
📅Date: 8th June @ 11am

Advice from Author Brand Marketing and PR at Amazon
📅Date: 15th June @ 10am

Advice from Film London
📅Date: 30th June @ 11am

28/05/2026

A 10 minute speed date with an industry professional for aspiring writers.

14/05/2026

Wit, chaos and mistaken identities arrive at our Lakeside Theatre this week as our University of Essex Theatre Arts Society present Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

Packed with razor-sharp comedy and unforgettable characters, this classic satire remains as brilliant as ever.

14/05/2026

Join us for the launch of Nostalgia and Displacement in Contemporary European Cinema by LiFTS Lecturer in Film, Tasos Giapoutzis, published by Palgrave Macmillan and available in Open Access.

This event brings together film, migration, and cultural studies through a discussion of nostalgia, memory, and belonging in contemporary European cinema.

Nostalgia and Displacement in Contemporary European Cinema explores how contemporary European films engage with experiences of nostalgia, migration, and belonging. Through the analysis of five films from across Europe, the book examines nostalgia not simply as longing for the past, but as a way of negotiating histories, identities, and experiences of displacement.

The event will feature a short presentation by the author, Tasos Giapoutzis, reflecting on the development of the project and the themes explored in the book. Professor Neli Demireva, Director of the Centre for Migration Studies, will offer reflections connecting the discussion to broader questions around migration and belonging.

The session will conclude with an informal audience discussion and Q&A, followed by drinks at Top Bar.

📆 Tuesday 19th May
🕰️ 5pm-6pm
📍STEM 3.1

14/05/2026

Listen to LiFTS Lecturer in Film, Dr Sarah Smyth, discussing how films portray women, work and romance on Radio 4's Front Row this week.

Dr Sarah Smyth of Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies at University of Essex joined BBC Radio 4’s Front Row this week to discuss how films portray women, work and romance following the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2.

The BBC New Generation Thinker appeared alongside author and critic Hanna Flint to explore the cultural impact of workplace cinema.

08/05/2026

In your final year and not sure what you’re doing after? Or perhaps you do and need some support with your applications. Your Careers Service is available to use to support your next steps. Book an online or in person appointment via CareerHub

01/05/2026

Writing with Images is a programme of FREE creative writing workshops offering an opportunity to learn new approaches to writing through playful experiment with text and image.

'Geography of Echoes' is the second event in the series. Led by award-winning fiction writer Penny Simpson and poet/textile artist Carole Webster, it draws inspiration from the extraordinary life and work of Polish writer and poet Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska (1872-1925), a woman who lived in four different countries and wrote in three languages.

The Special Collections in the University of Essex Library hold many of Sophie’s literary works, notebooks and her 800-page diary which takes the form of an extended imagined conversation with her partner the artist Henri Gaudier-Brzeska (1981-1915) who was killed in action fighting in the First World War.

📅Saturday 9th May
🕑2pm-4pm
📍Room 1.01, CTC
📧See comments for further info & to reserve your place

27/04/2026

Need some help navigating your career for when you finish university? Do not hesitate to get in touch with your Careers Service to see how they can help you.

27/04/2026

Essex has partnered with FEST, a film and industry festival in Portugal. As students of partner institutions, you receive a 40% discount on the Full Access Accreditation – for details , see comments.

FEST is part of a new generation of festivals, featuring film screenings, conference sessions, projects in development, competitions, TV showcases, awards ceremonies, and much more.

In FEST, film professionals, up-and-coming and established alike, come together to present their work, develop their skills and create synergies. The event is a one-of-a-kind opportunity that offers a fast track to the film industry and creates a meaningful connection with like-minded peers worldwide.

The festival will take place between the 20th and 28th of June in Espinho, a seaside town in Portugal.

FEST - New Directors New Films Festival

24/04/2026

There's less than 1 week left for our final year students to compltete the NSS and be in with a chance to win a Graduation package prize draw worth nearly £300.

Just complete the NSS by Thursday 30 April for your chance to win gown hire, a photography package worth £40, two guest tickets with ceremony seating, and £150 towards overnight accommodation.

https://office.pulse.ly/q5rlwv0alf