World’s Biggest Youth Film Festival Returns from 8th-24th November 2017. Anti-bullying will be a key theme of the Into Film Festival 2017 - the world’s biggest youth film festival, which takes place from November 8th to 24th with 3000 free screenings and events for 5-19 year-olds in venues all over the UK.
Hosted by Into Film as part of an on-going initiative to put film at the heart of young people’s education and personal development, the Festival is open to schools, colleges, home educators and youth leaders. This year’s Festival progamme features a wide range of titles across the programme, supported by teaching resources, which can be used to promote discussion around the causes, consequences and impact of bullying in its many forms. The Anti-Bullying Alliance is supporting the Festival and will speak alongside a screening of Matilda; Ditch The Label, Kidscape and Mental Health Foundation are also taking part.
Relevant titles this year include, among others, those which deal with obvious bullying (A Monster Calls, Trigga (short) and Matilda), those which explore the issue from the perspective of race (Hidden Figures, A United Kingdom, Detroit, A Viceroy’s House), or the perspective of gender, (Zootropolis and Battle of the Sexes), and films in which not quite fitting in is a key theme (Diary of a Wimpy Kid –The Long Haul, Edge of Seventeen, My Life as a Courgette).
Building on the success of last year, which saw over 470,000 people attend, this year’s Festival seeks to actively involve 500,000 young people and educators from all backgrounds and corners of the UK in watching and making films, some for the first time. 140 films will be screened in 600 venues – the Festival’s biggest reach yet.
Screenings are supported by educational resources featuring discussion questions, review starters and extension activities for use on the day and back in the classroom. Accessibility and inclusivity are key aims of the Festival with over half of the programme offered as audio-described, subtitled or autism-friendly.
There is no doubt that film can shock us, move us and challenge how we see ourselves and others. Anti-Bullying Week, coordinated by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, is from the 13-17th November with the theme ‘All Different/ All Equal’. The key aim of the week is to encourage children, teachers and parents to celebrate what makes us all different and to create environments where young people can be themselves free from bullying. Film has a vital role to play in inspiring change and encouraging us to see that even though we may just be one person – we can make all the difference. This is why we are proud to work in partnership with Into Film who provide schools with the resources they need to bring the subject of bullying to life through film.
Martha Evans, National Coordinator, Anti-Bullying Alliance
The Into Film Festival 2017 will take place from 8th-24th November. All screenings and events are free. For progamme details and to book tickets visit www.intofilm.org/festival
- Ends -