For several years we worked with primary schools across Scotland to learn about film, make films and then come together to screen and discuss them at a special celebratory event at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Designed for young people aged eight to eighteen years the programme focused on a specific theme each year: in 2019/20 Sensations; in 2018/19 The Situation; in 2017/18 Place & Stories; in 2016/17 Play; in 2015/16 Climate; in 2013/14 The Long Take and in 2012/13 Mise en scène.

The programme aimed to help pupils

  • gain a better understanding of European/world cinema heritage.
  • enhance their aesthetic appreciation of film.
  • develop personal confidence whilst working on a group project.
  • stimulate their creativity.

The programme consisted of practical and theoretical activities delivered over the school year, from Oct to June. Pupils engaged with the practical side of filmmaking (scripting, shooting, editing etc.) but also reflected on already-existing films as well as their own. Each year the young filmmakers came together at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June to screen and discuss their final short films.

 

International Programme

Cinema cent ans de jeunesse is an international programme with partners across the world. Each year, one of our schools attended the end of year screening at the Cinémathèque Française in Paris.

Past programmes

In 2019/20 we worked with pupils in five classes at three primary schools: Dalry (Edinburgh), Glendale (Glasgow) and Inverbrothock (Angus). The topic was “Sensations" and the final films produced by the children, with the support of their filmmakers and teachers, were supposed to screen at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2020. Due to COVID-19 the project was put on hold.  However, Dalry Primary School kept us up-to-date on their progress and you can read about their experience on the Cinémathèque Française blog.

In 2018/19 we worked with pupils in four classes at three primary schools: Granton (Edinburgh), Glendale (Glasgow) and Inverbrothock (Angus). The topic was “The Situation” and the final films were screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on Monday 24 June 2019. Watch their films here.

In 2017/18 we worked with pupils in eight primary schools: Granton (Edinburgh), Lorne (Edinburgh), St Charles RC (Glasgow), Glendale (Glasgow), Burnside (Angus), Inverbrothock (Angus), Mosstodloch (Moray) and Dingwall (Highlands). The topic was 'Place & Stories' and the final films produced by the children, with the support of their filmmakers and teachers, screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.  The final films are available to watch here.

In 2016/17 we worked with pupils in six primary schools: Granton (Edinburgh), Lorne (Edinburgh), St Charles RC (Glasgow), Glendale (Glasgow), Carlogie (Angus) and Our Lady’s RC (Dundee). The topic was Play and the final films are available to watch here.

In 2015/16 Understanding Cinema took place in six schools: Granton Primary School (Edinburgh), Wester Hailes Community School (Edinburgh), St Mary’s Primary School (Edinburgh), Carlogie Primary School (Angus), Our Lady’s RC Primary (Dundee) and St Paul’s RC Academy (Dundee). The topic for the year was Climate.

In 2012/13 the Understanding Cinema pilot project worked with schools in Edinburgh and Dundee, with the subject ‘mise en scene’. In 2013/14, with the support of Creative Scotland’s Creative Futures fund, we expanded this to almost 500 pupils in eight Local Authorities, working with 26 teachers and youth workers and employing nine filmmakers. Three of the schools produced films in Gaelic. The topic in 2013/14 was The Long Take and the project film can be found here, with a shorter version here.

2013/14 Understanding Cinema took place in  Edinburgh (Broughton HS, South Morningside PS, SKAMM), East Lothian (Law PS, St Gabriel’s RC PS, Whitecraigs PS), Glasgow (St Mungo’s Academy, Castlemilk HS, St Margaret Mary’s Secondary, Glendale PS), Dundee (Blackness PS, Clepington SP, Rowantree PS, Harris Academy, St John’s HS, St Paul’s Academy), Inverness (Craighill PS, Mosstodloch PS), Aberdeen (Holy Family PS, Belmont Cinema), Isle of Lewis (Pairc PS, Nicholson Institute, An Lanntair), Argyle & Bute (Salen PS) The Understanding Cinema 2013/14 films can be viewed here.

For further info you can take a look at the 2014 project blog here or at the most recent Cinematheque Francaise blog here.

Understanding Cinema was funded by Screen Scotland.