This book examines European cinema (with a lesser focus on American cinema) of the second decade of the twentieth century, situating it within the broader context of its relationship to the traditional arts—most notably literature and theatre, but also dance and pantomime. The study is structured into four main parts. The first part explores the reflections on cinema formulated by the Italian-French writer Ricciotto Canudo. The second traces the emergence of the concept of artistic cinema, discusses the activities of the Film d’Art and SCAGL production companies, and analyzes the film work of the eminent theatre reformer André Antoine. The third part, entitled Within the Circle of Dance and Pantomime, investigates the relationship between silent cinema and these art forms, as well as the involvement of numerous artists with film, including Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Max Reinhardt. The final part is devoted to the cinematic interests of Expressionist writers, among them Max Brod, Kurt Pinthus, Walter Hasenclever, and Georg Kaiser. By incorporating their theoretical reflections and creative works, the book offers a modest expansion of the established concept of German film Expressionism in film historiography.