ScreenPlay 2017 Education Booklet

SCREEN 25 AUG - 3 SEP 2017

EDUCATION SCREENINGS

Welcome to the Screenplay Education Programme, now in its fourth year. This year we have films from the Netherlands, France, Mongolia and India, and some short film programmes from all over the world. We think you and your pupils will love them.

Most of the films have been screened at the Dundee Discovery Film Festival for Young Audiences, where they were well received by children of all ages. Our aim in this programme is the same as Discovery’s – to introduce young audiences to high quality film from around the world which they are unlikely to see in mainstream cinema, but which they will enjoy every bit as much. We also hope to increase children’s ability to analyse and reflect on what they have seen, rather than simply ‘consuming’ the blockbusters which Hollywood, Disney and Pixar feed them.

To this end, for four out of the five films in this programme, we are very lucky to have access to Discovery Resource Packs, created by teachers and directly related to the Curriculum for Excellence, which teachers can use in the classroom.

This year we are also offering schools the opportunity to stay on after screenings for workshops related to the film they have just seen. These will last no longer than an hour, and facilities will be available for children to eat packed lunches should they bring them. Please let us know when you book if you would like to stay for the workshop.

We know that transport can be an issue for schools, and if it is, please let us know, as we would not want that to be a barrier to access, and we may be able to help.

Some of the films have subtitles, but we have always found that these present few problems for children from the age of eight. Our favourite feedback from one of last year’s films was from a nine year old who told us: “I loved it so much I forgot I was reading it!” More of that, please! For younger pupils we have an enchanting dialoguefree animated film which they can enjoy watching without subtitles. (Adults will love it too...).

This year we will be running a competition for the best film review of a film from this programme written by a pupil. There will be two categories - eight years and under, and nine years and over, and very desirable prizes for the winners and runners-up! The ‘rules’ will be available by the screening dates and the submissions should be with us by Friday 15 September.

Once again we would like to express our gratitude to the Discovery Film Festival, its programmers, young audiences and their teachers for all the help, advice and support they have given us. This programme owes a lot to their ingenuity, their creativity and their sense of fun... because if it’s not fun, why would you bother?

Our thanks as well to Noelle Henderson, Creative Links Officer at the SIC Education Department, who does so much to help make this programme happen.

We are looking forward to watching these films along with you and your pupils at the end of August!

Kathy Hubbard & Cara McDiarmid

SCREEN

Film Festival Shetland Arts

MONDAY 28 AUGUST, 10am

THURSDAY 31 AUGUST, 10am

SECRETS OF WAR

DHANAK (RAINBOW)

TUESDAY 29 AUGUST, 10am

FRIDAY 1 SEPTEMBER, 10am

MINUSCULE: VALLEY OF THE LOST ANTS

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS

WEDNESDAY 30 AUGUST, 10am

SHORTS FOR WEE ONES / MIDDLE ONES Education Programme Partners:

SECRETS OF WAR

(2014)

1 hour 34 minutes Netherlands/Belgium/Luxembourg Dir. Dennis Bots It’s 1943, and conflict rages across Europe.

The Nazis have occupied the Netherlands, but for 12-year-old best friends Tuur and Lambert not much seems to have really changed: they still go to school each day, and still play war games with their wooden guns in the forest and underground caves just outside their small village.

But the realities of the conflict soon intrude on their familiar world: Lambert is bullied over his family’s affiliation with the local Nazi party, while Tuur’s parents and brothers appear to be part of a resistance group growing in the village. When the boys begin to compete for the attentions of Maartje, a young newcomer to their class, their bond is put to the test. And when Maartje grows closer to Tuur, Lambert’s jealousy sets in motion a series of events that will alter all three children’s lives. Adapted from Jacques Vrien’s bestselling young adult novel, which was inspired by events that occurred in the author’s native region of South Limburg, Secrets of War is a gripping account of friendship and courage, a thrilling wartime drama and an affecting coming-of-age story.

Dutch with English subtitles Uncertificated (Recommend 10+) Themes: Friendship, jealousy, family relationships, tough choices, standing up for your beliefs, taking a stand, facing up to consequences, armed conflict.

MINUSCULE: VALLEY OF THE LOST ANTS (2013)

1 hour 29 minutes France/Belgium Dirs. Thomas Szabo, Hélène Giraud This is an epic adventure based on the friendship between a plucky ladybird and a band of black ants. When they discover a tin of sugar lumps left over from a deserted picnic, it will take all their guile to get their treasure back to their anthill, whilst coming under attack from an army of rival red ants who want the sugary prize for themselves.

This is just one example of high quality films for young audiences which do not appear in best seller lists, simply because their marketing budgets cannot match those of Disney or Pixar.

But Discovery believes, as do we, that children should get an opportunity to see and enjoy them.

Come and be immersed in a fantastic journey with wonderful characters, exquisitely animated, with no spoken dialogue, so no need for subtitles.

Dialogue free Cert U (Suitable for all) Themes: Friendship, sticking together, finding solutions, adapting things for new purposes, fighting against the odds, perseverance.

SHORTS FOR WEE ONES

(2016)

45 minutes Various countries Various directors A collection of short films for a younger audience, curated by the Discovery Film Festival.

Featuring films from around the world, this is sure to delight. There’s a little mouse quietly obsessed with cleanliness, a thrilling high-speed tricycle chase through a French port, a reindeer dodging endless avalanches in a little cabin in the woods, an adventurous tree sporting brightly coloured wellies, and more (our favourite is a group of pitch-perfect singing piggies). Most of these films are dialogue free and are accessible for everyone.

English, French or dialogue free Uncertificated (Recommend 5+ and pre-school) Themes: Storytelling, making friends, helping each other, perseverance, facing new adventures, being kind, celebrating uniqueness, doing the right thing.

SHORTS FOR MIDDLE ONES (2016)

55 minutes Various countries Various directors A collection of short films curated by the Discovery Film Festival, and designed to appeal to slightly older primary age children. There is the story of the little boy who has a lifelong dream of living in the sea, an Australian-Japanese family learning to cope with the clash of two cultures, a cautionary animated tale for persistent worriers, what happens when you take selfies when visiting a new planet, and more. Most of the films are dialogue free, although there is some subtitling in the film about the Japanese family to assist the storytelling.

English, Japanese (with English subtitles) or dialogue free Uncertificated (Recommend 8+) Themes: Family relationships, determination, chasing your dreams, trying new things, unexpected friendships, following/breaking rules, the impact of industrialisation.

These Shorts programmes are both under an hour long, but can be screened simultaneously (one in each of Screen 1 and 2), making it a particularly attractive prospect for rural schools with a small number of pupils who span the whole primary age range.

DHANAK (RAINBOW)

(2015)

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS

(2016)

1 hour 46 minutes India Dir. Nagesh Kukunoor

1 hour 27 minutes Mongolia Dir. Otto Bell

Rainbow is an uplifting fable set in Rajasthan. The story revolves around the relationship between 10-year old Pari and her 8-year old brother Chotu. Having lost their parents to an accident at a very early age, they live with their uncle and aunt. Chotu is blind but he is anything but sad.

Happy, precocious and quick-witted, he is the life of the village. Pari is his eyes, his guide and his best friend. She has promised Chotu that he will be able to see by the time he turns 9 and as always, Chotu believes her unconditionally. But the family cannot afford the operation. Pari turns to an unlikely source of support when she sees a poster with her film star hero, Sharukh Khan, appealing to people to help the sightless. Pari is convinced that he can help her keep her promise to Chotu, and, discovering that he is making a film some 300 kilometres away, the pair set off to find him, on a journey that will change their lives forever. Dhanak is a heartwarming story that has been feted at film festivals around the world.

This spellbinding drama-documentary follows Aisholpan, a 13-year-old nomadic Mongolian girl who is fighting to become the first female eagle hunter in twelve generations of her Kazakh family.

Through breathtaking aerial cinematography and intimate veritĂŠ footage, the film captures her personal journey while also addressing universal themes like female empowerment, the natural world, coming of age and the onset of modernity into lives imbued with tradition.

Hindi with English subtitles Uncertificated (Recommend upper primary 8-12) Themes: Family relationships, brothers and sisters, chasing your dreams, perseverance, making a difficult journey, celebrity, having faith, magical outcomes.

Kazakh with English subtitles Cert U (most suitable upper primary/lower secondary 8-15) Themes: Self belief, gender equity, belonging, community, reaching your potential.

BOOKING INFORMATION

TEACHERS’ PREVIEW

To book any of these FREE screenings, please contact Noelle Henderson, Creative Links Officer, on 01595 744013 or at noelle.henderson@shetland.gov.uk

We would like to invite teachers to our preview event on Tuesday 6 June from 5.30 to 6.30 in Screen 2 at Mareel. This is a chance to watch trailers from all the films, have a look at the resource packs and discuss bookings. Light refreshments will be provided.

We would recommend booking by Friday 30 June, although we can still take bookings (subject to availability) up to 18 August.

AGE RANGE Some of the films have BBFC certificates for age appropriateness, although we have included additional information when we think that would be helpful. The ones that have not been certificated come with recommended viewing ages, judgements that have been made by Discovery and other children’s festivals, and by ourselves based on years of experience. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss the content of any of the films.

YOUNG FILM QUIZ

PUBLIC SCREENINGS

Suitable 12 - 16 Sunday 3 September, 12.30 - 2pm Mareel Auditorium Free

There are public screenings of these films and many more at Screenplay from Friday 25 August to Sunday 3 September.

Mareel’s monthly film quiz, adapted for young people aged between 12 - 16. The usual rules apply - teams of no more than six to a table, book your table in advance and NO cheating! Take our advice and make sure your team includes a wide range of interests and obsessions, if you want to be in with a chance of winning any of the crazy and utterly desirable prizes. This event was huge fun last year - why not drum up a team from your school, youth club or neighbours?

For more information about the films and workshops please contact Cara McDiarmid on cara.mcdiarmid@shetlandarts.org or Kathy Hubbard on kathy.hubbard@shetlandarts.org Kathy can also be contacted on 07876 727059.

www.shetlandarts.org/screenplay

SCREEN

Mareel, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0WQ

 01595 743 843

 info@shetlandarts.org