The This is England short-film festival in Rouen has a specific programme of short films for lycée classes. This year’s selection features crime stories, young people forging a place for themselves in a world that isn't always welcoming, a story of polygamy and a documentary about an inspiring ping-pong club.
If you sign up for a lycée showing, your students will see eight films ranging in length from 3-and-a-half to 28 minutes. Three are animations, one a documentary and four are live-action fiction stories.
You can make reservations for school groups and download the teaching packs for jeune public, collège and lycée on the schools site.
You can see the eight titles in the lycée selection here and access a downloadable teaching pack for each. There is also a presentation to help pupils anticipate about the films before seeing them. The lycée teaching pack provides images to work on anticipation about the films, their titles and possible contents, as well as suggestions for each film of themes and vocabulary.
Britain is famous for its crime fiction and couple of the shorts look at the world of crime.
The Nun Slayer: 12m25
The Nun Slayer is described as a "dark romantic comedy". Normally speaking it's good news if a prisoner is released after being found innocent, it's the basis of many of the true-crime programmes that are so popular. But in this case, Donald discovers life as a free nobody doesn't compare with that of a feared imprisoned serial killer. And his wife definitely isn't impressed!
Under the Blue 15m00
The second film is set in a more realistic, sometimes tedious, world of a patrol policewoman. PC Morgan just wants a bite to eat in the middle of night shift, but different events demand her attention. Finally, she finds connection and understanding from an unusual quarter.
You can download teaching packs for these two films.
From Further Afield
The selection also opens up to experiences elsewhere in the English-speaking world.
Sister Wives 28m00
This is the tale of two young women living in a strict, fundamentalist, polygamous society in Utah, USA in the early 200os. Kaidence and Galilee find themselves under the same roof, in the same marriage.
You can download a teaching pack for this film.
Darwin Story 9m00
This animated film follows Lee as she returns to Darwin, Australia, from London when her mum is taken ill. Is she ready to think differently about the beautiful place she calls home?
You can see the trailer on Vimeo.
Unique Perspectives
Nobody to Play With 3m24
In this animation, we follow a girl walking home from school who loses her ribbon in a mysterious fog.
Dusty Do Good 14m39
Dusty, a young boy with Down’s syndrome, transforms himself into the hero of an old cowboy TV show, escaping from his troubled home life into a fictional world.
Follow The Dogs 6m26
This film mixes animation and live action, dream and reality from the point of view of cancer patient Warren Hastings as he recovers from treatment.
You can download a teaching pack for this film.
Documentary
The Influence of Ping Pong is Big 11m46
Caleb Young specialises in documentaries about charities and non-profits. This one is about the Brighton Table Tennis Club, a real community resource and parasport powerhous. It focuses on coach Wen Wei Xu, one of the founders of the club, which has been active since 2007 in the English coastal town.
Check out our article about 14-year-old Bly Twomey, who trains at the club, who won two Paralympic medals in Paris.
This is England in a Cinema Near You
If you would like to organise a projection of one of the This is England schools programmes for your pupils, and you have a local cinema that is willing to do so, they can download a programme from Cinego for professional cinemas. If you are interested, you can email Christophe Thierry.
This is England
Rouen and region
16-24 November 2024
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Tag(s) : "British culture" "coming-of-age" "difference" "festival" "film" "film festival" "integration" "lycée" "Normandy" "parent-children relationships" "Rouen" "short films" "sport" "table tennis" "teaching materials"