REELWORLD FILM FESTIVAL – REELYOUTH PROGRAM
ReelYouth is dedicated to bring cinematic arts and culture to marginalized youth throughout communities in Toronto. This program is created to empower youths through film and hands on programming within the realm of the film industry. Created for the benefit of Elementary students, ReelYouth includes film screenings, workshops and seminars to get the students interactive with various cinematic tools. The program uses the art of film to encourage youth to think and express themselves using the latest cinematic technological advances.
During the 2011 ReelYouth program, students took part in a screening of two short films, Animando and Animation Express. Animando is a film about Brazilian artist Marcos Magalhaes, who brings an animated figure to life on a drawing board. The National Film Board of Canada’s Animation Express is a modern collection of short animation films.
ReelYouth 2011
A hands-on workshop for the youth took place after the screening of these films. The workshop provided the students the opportunity to engage in the art of filmmaking up close. They modeled clay into their own animated characters, and got to see how these figures are transformed through the camera lens. They were able to use their own ideas to create a personalized short story through film animation.
Another aspect of the ReelYouth program is a Free Family Screening. The ReelYouth program uses film as a means for encouraging young minds to think and speak about issues like diversity and identity in an open and creative environment. This program provides ReelWorld with the opportunity to champion quality films aimed at youth from ethnic, diverse filmmakers in order to broaden their minds. We hope to demonstrate that the cinematic arts can be empowering for young audiences who are thoughtful about the films they are watching.
This year’s screening was of the film Raspberry Magic by director Leena Pendharkar. ReelWorld invites parents and their children to be a part of the ReelWorld Festival by scheduling a free screening on the Saturday afternoon of the Festival. We understand that many parents and children wish to be a part of ReelWorld and the diverse film culture surrounding the Festival, yet they may not be financially able to do so. The Free Family Screening is a way for ReelWorld to reach out to communities throughout the city and bring them to the Festival so they can experience the wonderful vibe of the culture and diversity that is ReelWorld.
In order for the Canadian entertainment industry to grow and flourish, it is vital that young people are trained and encouraged to pursue careers in the sector. Many young people are not aware of the many career options within the film industry; ReelWorld hopes to open their eyes to see their own potential and the incredible options available to them.
ReelYouth 2011
ReelYouth runs concurrently with the ReelWorld Film Festival in April. For three (3) mornings during the Festival, three (3) Elementary school groups of 30 students have the opportunity to watch a film and partake in a workshop at the National Film Board of Canada. Please continue to visit the website to find out more about the upcoming ReelWorld Film Festival and ReelYouth Program.
If you are interested in having your school take part in the ReelYouth Program, please contact Mekielia Nembhard, Festival and Foundation Manager, at mekielia@reelworld.ca or at 416.598.7933.
