MORE THAN 250,000 school children will be able to enjoy 1,750 free film screenings and events in cinemas across the country as part of National Schools Film Week.
The 12th annual event will launch on October 10 in London with a series of previews, master-classes and celebrity questions and answers.
Highlights include speakers from Friends of the Earth, a master-class with Ian Nathan, the Empire magazine reviewer, and a screening of The Bourne Ultimatum with director Paul Greengrass.
The theme of this year’s event is The World We Live In, reflected through a range of films which focus on the environment, social and racial injustice and bullying. Ian Wall, director of the charity Film Education, said: “Film has the power to deliver complex information to a young audience in an accessible way. We’ve chosen thought-provoking films that will address issues to spark debate back in the classroom.”
Secondary pupils can choose from a range of major releases such as The Last King of Scotland, Blood Diamond and Little Miss Sunshine.
Films such as Charlotte’s Webb and Happy Feet will be available to primary children.
Representatives from Film Education’s partner organisations including Amnesty International, the Anne Frank Trust, BeatBullying and Christian Aid will be touring the country giving master-classes. The film critic Mark Kermode, a patron of Schools Film Week, said: “Now, more than ever, it is crucial to foster and encourage a young cine-literate audience that can appreciate and enjoy challenging and innovative cinema from around the world.”
* www.nsfw.org
