This special issue is the first part of the twin In Media Res special issues on The State of Film Theory. This special issue includes four brief but thought-provoking articles by Brian Price, Alessandra Raengo, Damon R Young, and Daniel Morgan. The second part will be published on the week of March 13th and will include insightful contributions by Victor Fan, Steven Shaviro, Maggie Hennefeld, Adrian Martin, and Eugenie Brinkema. Both parts of these special issues are organized and edited by Navid Darvishzadeh.