Child Poverty, Bullying And Teen Sexuality Featured Themes In The Sprockets School Programme
Toronto – Sprockets School Programme designed to entertain, engage and inform students returns with another exciting and diverse lineup of films from around the world. From bullying to refugee issues, from child poverty to teen sexuality, students and educators can go beyond the classroom to discuss challenging and complex issues relevant to students today. In addition to film screenings, the School Programme offers two workshops: one for students, and another for educators. Sprockets School Programme runs April 14-18, 2008, for students in Grade 1 to 12, with panel discussions and support materials to maximize the educational impact of the programme.
"For the last decade, Sprockets School Programme has been a valuable outlet for young people to discuss issues that are important to them," said Allen Braude, Co-Director, Learning. "Through thoughtful and entertaining cinema, students are encouraged to engage in dialogue with their peers, educators and special guests on a variety of topics, giving them a greater understanding of the world and themselves."
Highlights from the Sprockets School Programme include Logan Smalley's Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life (USA, 2006), an inspirational story of 15-year-old Darius Weems, diagnosed with the fatal genetic disorder Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Darius and his friends set out on a road trip across America with the ultimate goal of convincing MTV's hit series Pimp My Ride to customize Darius' wheelchair. Darius hopes to use the show as a platform to raise awareness about his condition and the accompanying accessibility issues to a generation that has never heard of Jerry Lewis and his annual Muscular Dystrophy telethon. Darius Weems will be in attendance. Recommended for students in Grades 9 to 12
Praised by media educators in Germany for its credibility and its power to encourage youth to follow their own path, Hella Joof's Bitter Sweetheart (Sweden, 2006) is a realistic film about 15-year-old Lina navigating the perils of peer pressure. Due to the film's sensitive content, there will be a femaleonly screening to provide a safe environment for a panel discussion of the issues raised in the film including sexuality and substance use and abuse. Recommended for students in Grades 9 to 12
Sprockets is presenting three programmes of shorts that reflect the complexities of children's experiences. They are a forum for children and teenagers to discuss issues of conflict and current events.
1. Three Views on Bullying - A combination of documentary, animation and live-action, the three films in this programme tell intelligent stories about the important subject of bullying. Films in this programme are Anneke de Lind van Wijngaarden's How Nikita Got Herself a Horse; Sarah Cox's Heavy Pockets; and Lisa Marie Gamiem's Benny's Gym. Recommended for students in Grades 6 to 8
2. Child and Youth Poverty: Screening and Panel Discussion – Hard-hitting and yet incredibly moving, the films in this programme provide authentic insight into the lives of poverty-stricken youth in Nicaragua, Kenya and the United Kingdom. Films in this programme are Kezme Margrie's The Wrong Trainers; Frode Højer Pedersen's The Street of Death; and Diego Quemada-Diez's I Want to Be a Pilot. An in-depth panel discussion following the screening will compare and contrast the experiences of impoverished youth in both developing and developed countries. Recommended for students in Grades 9 to 12
3. Soccer Shorts – From humorous fiction to thought-provoking documentary, this collection of films about youth who love soccer explores diverse themes including the importance of trying your best, the immigrant experience and the unfair consequences of political dispute. Films in this programme are Mark Bellamy's My Greatest Day Ever; Janneke de Weerdt's Anass; Daniel Sivan and Dorit Tadir's Offside; and Feije Riemersma's Kicken. Recommended for students in Grades 5 to 7
Future Frames, a programme that showcases the latest films created at Canadian post-secondary schools, features an engaging array of live-action and animated narratives unfolding diverse cinematic worlds where nothing is as it seems. Films in this programme are Peter Ricq's Glitch (Concordia University), Dylan Spencer's Smokestack (Ryerson University), Bruce W. Harper's The World's Most Fabulous Object (Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning), Evan DeRushie's Fourth of July (Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning), Bartek Nowakowski's The Legend of Boruta (Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design), and Peter Huang's The Universal Hanging Together of All Things (Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning). The screening is followed by an extensive Q&A session with several of the filmmakers. Recommended for students in Grades 10 to 12
In addition to screenings, Sprockets School Programme includes an engaging and educational filmmaking workshop, Guerrilla Filmmaking with Jared Raab, designed for students to experience the exciting and inspiring world of filmmaking through hands-on activities. Participants learn and develop filmmaking skills from the creative and technical aspects of scriptwriting to creating an affordable lighting kit. After a screening of Jared's hilarious short film Jew Boy, winner of the Students Choice Award at the 2007 Sprockets, students will break into small filmmaking crews and shoot their own short scene. At the end of the day, they will have the opportunity to see their final project on the big screen. Recommended for students in Grades 10 to 12. In addition, Sprockets is offering a workshop for educators, Using Film as a Teaching Tool, providing them with strategies for incorporating film in the classroom.
Sprockets School Programme will feature 34 films (18 feature-length films and 4 shorts programmes) from 17 countries. All films have grade recommendations intended to guide teachers when selecting screenings for their students. In addition, unique lesson plans have been created to support each film and extend the Sprockets experience into the classroom, connecting the films to many aspects of the Ontario curriculum. After select screenings, students have the opportunity to engage in post-screening discussions with filmmakers and special guests, and can further explore the film’s ideas, themes, storytelling techniques and much more. Films in languages other than English are presented in their original language with English subtitles. For many screenings, subtitles are read aloud by an experienced reader. French language features are screening only in French without English subtitles.
Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children offers children and youth the opportunity to learn about film and cultural perspectives from around the world. Through the power of film, Sprockets is helping to transform the way children and youth see the world. The 11th annual Sprockets runs from April 12 to April 18, 2008, and includes a Family Programme for ages three and up, on-site activities, and a week-long School Programme for students in Grades 1 to 12. Tickets to the Family Programme go on sale on March 11 and tickets to the school screenings will be made available to the public on April 4, 2008. For more information on the School Programme, visit sprockets.ca or contact the box office at 416-968-FILM or toll free at 1-877-968-FILM.
Sprockets is generously supported by Bell, Cineplex Entertainment and the Toronto Arts Council
The Toronto International Film Festival Group is a charitable, not-for-profit, cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world. Its vision is to lead the world in creative and cultural discovery through the moving image.
The Group embodies a passion for film and a commitment to making a difference in people’s lives. With an annual budget of nearly $20 million, the Group has grown exponentially from its roots as a modest “Festival of Festivals” expanding its breadth across the globe and reaching audiences of 900,000 per year. Currently, the Group employs more than 120 full-time staff, 500 part-time and seasonal staff, and counts on the largesse of more than 2, 000 volunteers year-round.
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For more information, please contact the Communications Department at 416-934-3200 or email proffice@tiffg.ca