What’s it really like to live in Birmingham as a film student?

The UK’s second city is packed with vibrancy and culture, boasting a buzzing creative quarter, beautiful canals, and an amazing film scene – yep, we’re talking about Birmingham.

With a year-long programme of phenomenal festivals and plenty more opportunities to engage with the arts in Birmingham, you’ll be spoilt for choice here. It’s young, progressive, experimental – there aren’t many better places to study film than Birmingham.

Birmingham’s culture

You only need to scratch the surface to see that Birmingham is a city with so much to shout about. The city boasts more canals than Venice (yes, really!), more Michelin-star restaurants than any other UK city besides London, and some of the country’s busiest theatres (The Alexandra and The Hippodrome).

Birmingham city is also home to the youngest population in Europe. With its unrivalled nightlife and clubs, world-class library facilities and a programme of inner-city festivals, this city is made for its students.

Cinema in Birmingham

You might find yourself catching an arthouse release at the Mockingbird in Digbeth’s Custard Factory or watching a blockbuster at the Giant Screen in Millennium Point. Celebrate Birmingham’s love of the big screen through events like Flatpack Festival and The Birmingham Indian Film Festival, which showcase the city’s role as a meeting point for stories, cultures, and creative voices from around the world.

Eating out

You’ll find food festivals serving high-quality food at student prices throughout the city and farmers’ markets like Moseley’s, which have the best fresh local produce. Right here in Digbeth, next to our campus, you’ll have fun food outlets like Rico Libre, Chance and Counters (also a board game café!) and Baked in Brick.

Birmingham boasts multiple Michelin-star restaurants for more expensive tastes,or special occasions, including Simpsons.

Of course, there are fast food joints like Five Guys, Popeye’s, Roscoe’s, and all the other well-known high street chains to suit any budget. Oh, and we hear our neighbours Kanteen serve some of the city’s best vegan sausage rolls and subs! You’re welcome, plant lovers.

Comptoir Libanais in Grand Central has the best Lebanese food in the city. Original Patty Men have your burger needs covered. There’s a crazy golf place in Digbeth called Golf Fang; it’s very popular amongst students for a cheap and fun night out.

Shopping

Get your retail fix in Birmingham’s iconic Bullring Centre, with its 110,000 square metres of retail space, including the attention-grabbing exterior of the Selfridges store with its 15,000 aluminium disks.

Home to the largest Chinatown outside of London and the biggest jewellery quarter in Europe, it’s easy to see why Birmingham is one of England’s top three most visited places to shop.

Support the city’s local retailers at The Custard Factory, and COW Vintage is also a student’s favourite for finding clothes, and Red Brick Market is for bits and bobs.

The great outdoors

Birmingham has more parks than any other European city of its size, with ten earning the prestigious Green Flag Award.

Cannon Hill Park is one of the city’s most famous spaces, spanning 250 acres of woodland and sports spaces. During the summer, this is the place for boating, fishing, bowls, tennis, putting, picnics and more.

In the city centre, St. Phillips Cathedral grounds – affectionately known to locals as ‘Pigeon Park’ – is a prime spot for outdoor relaxation between shopping and dining.

You can also get your fresh air fix at Sutton Park (the largest urban nature reserve in Europe) and the beautiful Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which dates back to the Victorian era.

Ready to join us?

Whether you’re starting your creative journey or switching paths, Clearing is open now – and there’s still time to apply for one of our undergraduate or postgraduate courses.

Explore our Birmingham campus at an upcoming Open Day.

Contact our Admissions Team on 01273 096406 – or email us at admissions@metfilm.ac.uk – for any questions and to discuss your options. We can’t wait to welcome the next generation of Birmingham filmmakers!