FILMCLUB EXPANSION ACROSS NORTHERN IRELAND

FILMCLUB EXPANSION ACROSS NORTHERN IRELAND

Innovative Scheme Brings Films to After-School Clubs for Northern Irish Schoolchildren

FILMCLUB, the UK wide, free after school initiative for young people aged 5-18 years of age is expanding its reach in Northern Ireland and the launch of the 2013 recruitment phase will be marked with a fun-filled film roadshow across the province from 4th-8th March.

FILMCLUB in Northern Ireland, a Northern Ireland Screen extended schools initiative funded by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister is managed by Cinemagic and the Nerve Centre, and it has been delivering after school film viewing in 229 extended service schools in Northern Ireland over the past twelve months.

In conjunction with Cinemobile, Ireland’s only 100-seater mobile cinema, the FILMCLUB roadshow will be visiting school sites across Northern Ireland promoting the FILMCLUB programme to Primary, Post-Primary and Special Schools, in receipt of Extended School Funding. The innovative initiative helps teachers run weekly after schools clubs screening films from a wide variety of genre from every era which can help support the curriculum, develop pupils’ critical thinking skills, broaden cultural understanding and improve literacy.

The young people at the roadshow in Derry/Londonderry, Coleraine, Omagh, Belfast and Lisburn will have the opportunity to watch the adventure-filled, DreamWorks animation, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and touching drama ‘The Kid with a Bike’, written and directed by the Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, screening in the Cinemobile!

Teachers will hear about the benefits of belonging to the FILMCLUB scheme that offers members access to over 3500 films from all over the world, and allows pupils to discuss and review their weekly choices. Currently delivered in over 200 schools, FILMCLUB is one ofNorthern Ireland’s most popular after schools activities.

Beeban Kidron, Film Director and FILMCLUB Co-Founder, said: “I am absolutely delighted that FILMCLUB is being officially rolled out to hundreds more schools across the region. The educational outcomes of our members are a great privilege to behold and we are looking forward to see the same outcomes and engagement in Northern Irish children as we have seen up and down the country in England.”

FILMCLUB in Northern Ireland Ambassador and Belfast born filmmaker and author Mark Cousins commented; “FILMCLUB will make such a difference for young people in schools in Northern Ireland. What a fantastic way to explore the world of film.  And by getting young people excited about movies now, we will help create the great Northern Irish filmmakers of the future. I just wish that there had been something this brilliant when I was growing up in Belfast."

Belfast film actor, Martin McCann said “Every child has an opinion when it comes to film. They don't need to be specialist in anything, they just need to be themselves and talk about what they've seen, what they've related to in the movie. Film is a universal language that children can relate to. Implementing FILMCLUB in schools can bring so many different children together through something that they enjoy. FILMCLUB really can change children's futures.”

Bernard McCloskey Head of Education with Northern Ireland Screen commented; “FILMCLUB plays an important part in Northern Ireland Screen’s aim to provide young people with better access to a wider range of films. We want children to enjoy film in all its different forms with their friends and classmates. FILMCLUB is the perfect starting point on their film journey.”

FILMCLUB offers young people the chance to watch, debate and review the very best in cinema. Through weekly screenings, online reviewing and close links with the film industry, the scheme is promoting new avenues of learning in an informal setting and is having a transformative impact on the lives of children. FILMCLUB members and teachers will be able to select from thousands of classic and popular DVDtitles available to order via the interactive website (www.filmclub.org) through partner LOVE FiLM, arranged in special seasons to appeal directly to young people and covering every genre and era of movie-making.

The website also contains tips for members to discover new films and features over 650 hand-picked ‘FILMCLUB Recommends’ titles. Members will be encouraged to post their reviews on the website, with prizes awarded each week for the winning review. Other benefits include access to film industry events and talent through the unique “Close Encounters” programme of in-schoolVIPvisits, webcasts, screenings and workshops.

Research into the impact of the scheme – which already runs in over 7,000 schools in England – shows it has substantial education and social benefits and a significant impact on literacy. 80% of leaders say FILMCLUB increases members’ critical skills and over half that it improves their reading and writing skills. Over 6,000 reviews are uploaded onto the website every week, many from youngsters who have never before wanted to write.

Cinemagic Film & Television Festival and the Nerve Centre act as the local FILMCLUB managers inNorthern Irelandto facilitate the roll-out of the programme to schools, as well as offer support, advice and training.  Schools who are already involved are using FILMCLUB to support the Northern Ireland Curriculum at Primary and Post Primary level and qualifications such as Moving Image Arts and Media Studies.

The roadshow will visit the following sites screening films and sharing information on starting FILMCLUB in schools:

Monday 4th March at 9.45am:Ebrington Square, Derry/Londonderry.

Tuesday 5th March at 9.45am: HarpursHillPrimary School, Coleraine.
Wednesday 6th March at 9.45am: SacredHeartCollege , Omagh.

Thursday 7th March at 9.45am:  The Pumphouse, Titanic Quarter,Belfast.

Friday 8th March at 9.45am:  Island Arts Centre, Lisburn

To register your interest in participating in the roadshow and in FILMCLUB, email: [email protected] or [email protected]

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PRESS INFORMATION:

Claire Shaw, Cinemagic Press Officer

[email protected] / 028 90 311 900

Notes to Editors

Department of Education Extended School Scheme

The Department of Education’s Extended Schools programme has a focus on improving educational outcomes, reducing barriers to learning and providing additional support to help improve the life chances of children and young people, particularly from deprived areas.

Launched in May 2006, £60 million of funding has been provided through the Extended Schools programme over the last 6 years (2006-12) allowing those schools serving areas of the highest social disadvantage to provide for a wide range of services or activities outside of the traditional school day to help meet the needs of pupils, their families and the wider community.

The Extended Schools programme aims to support learning and healthy lifestyles, raising school standards while engaging schools with their local community and connecting people with local services. The diverse menu of activities on offer includes breakfast or homework clubs, sport, art, drama, ICT and many other innovative programmes including those aimed at encouraging parental, family and community engagement.

A further £11m of Extended Schools funding was made available to over 460 eligible schools in the 2012/13 financial year.

More information on Extended Schools including the qualifying criteria used to determine eligibility for the 2012/13 programme and a list of those schools receiving ES funding this financial year can be accessed via the links below:

Further information onExtendedSchoolservices can be found on the NI Direct website under Extended Schools:

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/extended-schools

Information on the selection criteria for Extended Schools is available on the Department of Education’s website here:

http://www.deni.gov.uk/extended_schools_criteria_2012_13._41kb.pdf

A list of schools currently in receipt of Extended Services funding is available on the Department of Education’s website here:

http://www.deni.gov.uk/list_of_extended_schools_2012_13_616kb.pdf

For further information and guidance on the Extended Schools programme is available on the Department of Education’s website here:

http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/curriculum-and-learningt-new/standards-and-school-improvements/extended-schools-programme-2012-13/extended-schools_guidance.htm

Northern Ireland Screen Education strategy

Northern Ireland Screen is the government-backed lead agency inNorthern Irelandfor the film, television and digital content industry, driving global growth through boosting our economy, celebrating our culture and enhancing our children’s education.

Northern Ireland Screen’s Education strategy, to embed the use of moving image and related digital technologies across the formal and non-formal curriculum inNorthern Ireland, was first set out in A Wider Literacy, published in 2004. An important element of the strategy is the provision of access to a wider range of moving image material and learning resources for young people and, in particular, access to a broader choice of film titles as part of the cinema experience.

Northern Ireland Screen has developed a coordinated approach to delivering these particular aims as part of its Wider Literacy agenda in partnership with organisations funded by the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure. These organisations have developed expertise in Film Education over a number of years and are well positioned to help deliver key aspects of A Wider Literacy. They include Cinemagic and the Nerve Centre who are funded to help deliver after school film clubs inNorthern Ireland, through FILMCLUB, the UK-based charity. The scheme gives pupils and teachers at schools offering Extended Services the chance to explore the world of film with free weekly screenings, online reviewing, special events and hands-on support. Currently 229 Extended schools inNorthern Ireland participate in FILMCLUB. Northern Ireland Screen plans to increase the number of Extended Schools involved in FILMCLUB to 300 in 2013/14

Further information: www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk  Contact: [email protected]

About FILMCLUB:

Education charity FILMCLUB has grown from a 25-school pilot in 2007 to reach 250,000 members across 7,000 schools in theUK. Created by educationalist Lindsay Mackie and filmmaker Beeban Kidron, FILMCLUB helps schools set up clubs providing young people access to a curated catalogue of films from across the world and from over 100 years of cinema, with education and social impact.  Free to all state schools, FILMCLUB transforms lives by providing weekly screenings, online reviewing, industry events and hands-on support to engage, challenge and open new avenues for informal learning. Teachers receive the support they need to introduce pupils to the world of film, creating a memorable experience with proven academic benefits.

FILMCLUB patrons include filmmaker Mike Leigh and actors Emma Thompson and Michael Sheen, with funding received from the Department for Education and The BFI Lottery Transition Fund for Audience Development.  FILMCLUB operates with the support of various other film organisations, including: LOVEFiLM, theUK’s largest onlineDVDrental company, which provides access to their film catalogue.

FILMCLUB is funded inNorthern Irelandby the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) through Northern Ireland Screen and delivered by Cinemagic and the Nerve Centre.

FILMCLUB is a registered charity (Number: 1136558)

The Nerve Centre

The Nerve Centre was established in 1990 as a focal point for youth culture in Derry/Londonderry and is considered one of the UKs most dynamic and innovative multimedia centres. By bringing popular music, film, video, animation and digital media together under one roof, the Nerve Centre promotes creative collaboration and fusion between artists and provides a cultural outlet for many young people who feel excluded from what is traditionally regarded as the ‘arts sector’.

Housed in a state-of-the-art building comprising live music venue, cinema, edit suites, rehearsal and recording studios, and in-house film, the Nerve Centre currently has over 100,000 people benefiting from its various events, programmes and projects including the annual Foyle Film Festival in November. 

The Nerve Centre’s artistic output has gained it an international reputation with an Oscar nomination for the short film, Dance, Lexie, Dance in 1998, a BAFTA nomination for the animated film, The Crumble Giant in 2008 and its ongoing collaboration with local visual artist Willie Doherty garnering a nomination for the 2003 Turner Prize

Cinemagic

Cinemagic International Film & Television Festival for Young People, based inBelfast(Northern Ireland), is an award winning film festival that embraces the magic of film, television and digital technologies to educate motivate and inspire young people through the medium of film exhibition.

Established in 1989, with the first Festival in 1990, Cinemagic has developed a worldwide reputation for excellence in children and young peoples programming.  It is also recognised for its ability to engage young people, stimulate discussion on social issues and provide opportunities to learn from leading film and television industry professionals. 

Designed for and by young people, the Cinemagic programme caters for 4 – 25 year olds through an array of preview screenings, workshops for schools, themed film events, Q&A sessions, a Young Filmmaker Competition, a Festival Jury and masterclasses in various aspects of television and filmmaking.

 Industry professionals that have supported the Cinemagic Festival include Aardman Animation, Brian Cox, Brian Freisinger, Christine Blundell, Ciaran Hinds, Colin Hanks,  Helen Mirren, Danny Boyle, David Arnold, David Parfitt, David Perry, Dermot O’Leary, Gerard McSorley, Hamish Hamilton,  Jenny Beavan, Julian Fellowes, Kenneth Branagh, Liam Neeson, Lindy Hemming, Mark Kermode, Mike Hodges, Mike Leigh, Patrick Bergin, Pierce Brosnan, Ralph Fiennes, Ros and John Hubbard, Roy Disney, Sir Alan Parker, Stephen Rea, Stephen Warbeck, Terry George and The Jim Henson Company.