To provide a liquid crystal alignment film having a function of aligning liquid crystalline molecules to be virtually vertical to the rubbing and/or drawing directions.

The liquid crystal alignment film, wherein groups wherein one or more aromatic ring compound groups are coupled to a heteroaromatic compound group containing nitrogen atoms in the skeleton other than a carbazole derivative or an imide derivative, for example, addition-polymerized polymers or condensation-polymerized polymers having 2-phenyl indole derivatives, has a function of aligning liquid crystalline molecules, whereby alignment is accomplished in a direction different from the rubbing direction by means of rubbing and/or radiation. The polymer compound constituting the liquid crystal alignment film mainly comprises a constituent unit having as its side chain a group wherein one or more aromatic ring compound groups are coupled with the heteroaromatic compound group containing nitrogen atoms in the skeleton other than a carbazole or an imide. The optical element uses the liquid crystal alignment film.

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