The institute was founded in 1919 by the film director Vladimir Gardin as the Moscow Film School and is the oldest film school in the world. From 1934 to 1991 the film school was known as the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography. Since 1986, the school has been named after the film director and actor Sergei Gerasimov (A full member of the international CILECT network of film schools). The Institute became a university in 2008. 

The founding of the institute was authorized by V. I. Lenin in 1919. Its work in the early years was hampered by the shortage of film stock. It has had an illustrious history as one the oldest of the film schools in existence; many great film directors have taught at the institute including Kuleshov, Eisenstein, and Romm. During the period of the Soviet Union, it was a requirement of the state to attend VGIK to be allowed to direct a film. It was a requirement for students to first learn Russian prior to attending.