The First Minister and deputy First Minister meet school children to support Into Film Festival 2016
Date Posted: November 11, 2016
First Minister, the Rt Hon. Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have met pupils from Dundonald Primary School and St Bernard’s Primary School, Glengormley to highlight the Into Film Festival 2016.
To explore the world of film as an educational tool, Into Film works with hundreds of schools and youth groups across Northern Ireland. In addition to the festival’s free screening programme, Into Film provide hundreds of film clubs with support through free teaching resources, DVD’s, teacher training sessions and special events to enhance the curriculum and promote the use of film within education.
Into Film is supported locally by Northern Ireland Screen and delivered in partnership with Nerve Centre and Cinemagic.
Through November’s Into Film festival children, from ages 5-19 years old, will have the opportunity to experience the wonder of film in the cinema. With its diverse programme of free screenings and events, the festival uses the power of film to captivate young minds and bring learning to life.
Supporting more than 800 film clubs across Northern Ireland (9,000 in the UK), teachers can access a wealth of support and inspire pupils by bringing the magic of the movies into the classroom.
Lending her support to the Into Film Festival, the First Minister, Arlene Foster said: “The first time I went to the cinema was to see ET with my family. I think I was around 12 years old and I can still recall the excitement as we sat down in front of the big screen in Lisnaskea to watch what turned out to be one of the iconic films of its time.
“We laughed when Elliott’s little sister dressed ET up as an old woman, had lumps in our throats when he wanted to ‘phone home’ so badly it made him ill – and of course we all came out of the cinema imagining what it would be like to ride our bicycles through the night sky, just as Elliott had done.
“Film evokes such strong emotions and memories, so much so that more than 30 years later I still clearly remember that first trip to the cinema. The Into Film Festival is a fantastic opportunity for young people from all backgrounds and areas of Northern Ireland to visit the cinema with their peers, including those who may not otherwise be able to access or afford it. It’s also a great way to introduce young people to films they might not otherwise see and spark their interest in how films are made, which could inspire them for their own future careers.”
The deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness said: “My first trip to the cinema was when I was 12 years of age. The school choir was taken to the cinema as reward for our efforts during the year. This was back in 1962 and the film was Lawrence of Arabia.
“Film is a wonderful way to learn about the world and enhance young people’s education. Watching films in the cinema is particularly powerful and it’s great how the Into Film Festival combines film and education, enabling young people to enjoy the big screen experience for free, and encouraging them to discuss and review the film afterwards.”
Jennifer Johnston, Into Films’s Programme Manager and Head of CPD and Resources said: “We are so delighted that the First Minister and deputy First Minister have joined us to endorse the Into Film Festival 2016. We’d like to thank them and the Northern Ireland Executive for their continued support of the Into Film progamme, which uses film to raise educational aspirations and attainment for all school-aged children and young people.”
The Into Film Festival 2016 will take place from 9th-25th November. All events and screenings are free. For further information, click here.
