Free films and workshops for pupils, classroom resources, CPD sessions and buses to venues would be enough to lure many teachers along to an after-school event, even on a dreich winter night, but the addition of free drinks and snacks made it all the more appealing.

Dozens turned up for the teachers’ launch of the 2012 Glasgow Youth Film Festival, organised by the Glasgow Film Theatre. Now in its third year, the festival (6-10 February) features films and film- related activities aimed at nursery through to secondary level, all free (including transport) to Glasgow schools, with other schools paying pound;3 per ticket and pound;40 towards bus costs.

The main point of the festival is not to turn participants into film-makers but to help them discover what film has to offer, says festival producer Paul Macgregor, not just as entertainment but as a vehicle for art and learning.

Primary schools are the biggest audience for the festival, he says, And in response to feedback from teachers whose pupils had “struggled with subtitles” on foreign language films, “live” subtitles are going to be introduced this year, provided by drama student volunteers. Films range from The Muppets to Michel Ocelot’s Tales of the Night 3D.

Another first in 2012 is the all-day Burrell Film Camp, when the Burrell Collection and its environment at Pollok will be used to help P6s and P7s explore “links between nature and film, both on screen and behind the camera”.

The choices for secondary schools include the new Steven Spielberg film War Horse and the 2010 documentary You’ve Been Trumped, which tells the story of the Aberdeenshire homeowners who battled Donald Trump’s plans to turn an area of natural beauty into a golf resort.

Other features include film and drama workshops for nursery children and 3D animation training for teachers.

www.glasgowfilm.orgfestivalschools.