Short films and education programs by Netwerk Filmeducatie and IDFA
Netwerk Filmeducatie (‘Film Education Network’) consists of over 400 education and film professionals, and multiple festivals, cinemas, and film institutions. Together they ensure a strong film foundation in education in the Netherlands. IDFA plays a fundamental role in this, as a frontrunning institute for documentary films and associated education programs. The strength of the network lies in working together with important film institutions such as IDFA, Eye, International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), The Netherlands Film Fund (NFF), and Cinekid to present films and knowledge to teachers and cinemas. We spoke to Yoni Thijssen and Vincent Hodde from Netwerk Filmeducatie to find out more.
Yori Thijssen is the coordinator for film screeners and filmmakers within Netwerk Filmeducatie, dedicated to bringing the world of film to school children and students by means of film lessons, special screenings, and workshops. Yori’s motto is: For those who speak the language of film, the world opens up. “Our role is to connect everyone involved in film education, with my main focus being on the industry side of things,” Yori explains. “For example, I am in contact with festivals and cinemas, but also with filmmakers and producers.”
An important element of this is the Korte Film Poule (‘Short Film Pool’) and the associated education programs. Yori: “Short films are ideal to use as part of the teaching materials. You can go more in-depth with the various compilation programs.”
Nine education programs have been introduced as the latest addition, made up of compilation and combination programs of short films, all selected from the collections of IDFA, IFFR, NFF, Eye, and Cinekid. There are programs tailored to each level of education: including elementary education, secondary school, and college students (MBO). This way, cinema education staff members can offer school screenings independently. For example, more than 60 school screenings were scheduled in 2022 and over 3,750 school children and students were reached with the Korte Film Poule.
Documentary films are a critical part of the Netwerk Filmeducatie and the Korte Film Poule. “About 25% of the short films are documentary films,” Yori shares. “They are ideally suited to our programs, because they reflect reality and offer insight into important themes, such as identity and citizenship. With tailor-made viewing assignments, these films match the school children’s and student’s experiences.”
Documentary films have a unique added value, Yori shares his views enthusiastically. “I think it's a beautiful form of film, because of each filmmaker’s specific perception on reality. For example, a documentary about refugees by a Western European filmmaker will look very different from that of a Syrian filmmaker.”
Following the success of the Korte Film Poule and the need for more education programs, Yori and his team regularly evaluate the films the network has on offer. “We work together with experts and education professionals to improve or add new programs that best suit the target audience. Knowledge from IDFA, for example, is also very valuable.”
Vincent Hodde is an editor at the Netwerk Filmeducatie. Diversity within the network is extremely important to him. “The great thing is that everyone in the Netwerk Filmeducatie has their own focus and strength, with IDFA as an important supporter of documentary films.”
Being able to reflect on the medium of film is an important part of the education programs. Vincent considers the documentary film Champ, as an example. “This film about the fourteen-year-old kick box talent Esma is part of the Fact and fiction program, in which Eye and IDFA explore the gray area between fact and fiction.”
Another great example, according to Vincent, is the documentary film Beppie—a 1965 classic by renowned Dutch documentary filmmaker Johan van der Keuken. “Beppie is a fun, short time capsule of Amsterdam some 60 odd years ago. The film is well made, doesn’t feel dated, and is also very interesting for today’s children to watch. It is an honest portrait of the girl who lived next door to Johan and her experiences,” says Vincent. “The film is part of Docschool Online, IDFA’s education film collection, which offers over 100 films free of charge to teachers and education institutions.”
Before selecting new documentary films for the database, the Netwerk Filmeducatie team does their own research. “We attend festivals as a team, including IDFA and Movies that Matter. We also frequently partake in workshops and school screenings, to see how school children and students respond to the films and teaching materials,” Vincent explains. The network also keeps a close eye on IDFA’s selection. IDFA is important to the network for many reasons, explains Vincent: “IDFA offers teaching materials to accompany many films.”
Finally, the brand-new cinema in IDFA Vondelpark will be a key location for the Korte Film Poule from September onwards. This will further solidify the connection between the network and IDFA.
