Film Culture was an American film magazine started by Adolfas Mekas and his brother Jonas Mekas in 1954.^[1] The publication's headquarters were in New York City.^[1] Best known for exploring the avant-garde cinema in depth, it also published articles on other aspects of cinema, including Hollywood films.

Articles from Film Culture are compiled in a book entitled Film Culture Reader, published by Cooper Square Press.

Film Culture ceased publication 1996.^[1] During its existence the magazine produced 79 issues and issue 80 was published shortly before Mekas’ death in 2018.^[1]

Film awards

The magazine presented awards to independent film makers:

• First Independent Film Award: John Cassavetes for Shadows (1959)
• Second Independent Film Award: Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie for Pull My Daisy (1960)
• Third Independent Film Award: Ricky Leacock, Don Pennebaker, Robert Drew and Al Maysles for Primary (1961)
• Fourth Independent Film Award: Stan Brakhage for The Dead and Prelude (1962)
• Fifth Independent Film Award: Jack Smith for Flaming Creatures (1963)
• Sixth Independent Film Award: Andy Warhol for Sleep, Haircut, Eat, Kiss and Empire (1964)^[2]
• Seventh Independent Film Award: Harry Smith for his entire body of work (1965)
• Eighth Independent Film Award: Gregory Markopoulos for his entire body of work (1966)
• Ninth Independent Film Award: Michael Snow for Wavelength (1968)
• Tenth Independent Film Award: Kenneth Anger for Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969)