Mumbai: Leading film organizations published the first UK-wide film education strategy. Film: 21st Century Literacy aims to bring greater consistency to the provision of film education in the UK so children and young people have equal opportunities to watch, understand and make films.
The two main aims of the strategy are to enhance current activity and to initiate new activities including:
* investing in learning resources to accompany publicly funded films;
* establishing a comprehensive training and development program for those involved in film education;
* developing online resources to provide access to the UK’s film archives; and
* using new learning routes, such as the Creative & Media Diploma and the Arts Award.
In addition to the £12 million which is currently spent on film education activities across the UK, a further £750,000 of National Lottery funding from the UK Film Council will be made available over the next three years.
Film: 21st Century Literacy is being led by the British Film Institute (BFI), Filmclub, First Light Movies, Film Education, and the UK Film Council, and developed in partnership with the National and Regional Screen Agencies and Skillset.
The launch at the BFI Southbank was attended by representatives from the film industry, policy makers and educationalists. Speakers included Sir Michael Bichard, Clive Jones CBE, Bonnie Greer, John Woodward and Bernard McCloskey.
Clive Jones CBE said, "In the UK we are lucky enough to have some of the best and most imaginative film education initiatives in the world, as well as a Charter for Media Literacy, which has been adopted by Government and is already being used as the template for action at a European level. However, despite this, film education remains disconnected and inconsistent – a bonus for some rather than an opportunity and entitlement for all. This strategy is a first step on the road to changing that state of affairs."
UK Film Council CEO John Woodward said, "The idea behind the strategy is to use film to help children and young people prepare for adult life in the 21st century where visual literacy has become as important as the ability to read and write. If, along the way, we also ensure that young people discover the true richness and diversity of cinema then we will have been 100% successful."
