This small book introduces the reader to the main trends and studies of the theory of cinema, as well as the stages of the evolution of cinema: the invention of the first camera and the works of the Lumiere brothers, the influence of psychoanalysis and feminism on film criticism, Hollywood and genre cinema, "third cinema" and postmodern theory. The Guide is built in the format of a script for an imaginary film and consists of dialogues by a student, his teacher, directors, critics and philosophers, and the text by author Richard Osborne, professor of theory and philosophy of art at the University of London, is accompanied by funny sketches by artist Angie Bru.