Festival: Cork Film Festival announces mini film festival for students

Spring Fling is a new mini film festival for students, taking place at the Gate Cinema in Cork City this April.

For years, Cork Film Festival has successfully presented matinee screenings of cultural cinema to Cork’s school children, during its November Festival dates. This year in April 2015, the strand gets its own additional mini-festival – Cork Film Festival’s Spring Fling – in association with the Irish Film Institute and Gate Cinemas Cork. This is a major new addition to Cork’s film landscape, suitable for both primary and secondary school students.

Through this programme, taking place from April 20th to  23rd, Cork Film Festival and IFI Education aim to provide access to a wide range of film and moving image among a young audience, and to facilitate critical and active engagement.

For Cork Film Festival’s Spring Fling, two shorts programmes suitable for 7+ and 15+ age groups will be screened, along with four feature film titles: Spielberg’s family favourite ET – The Extra-Terrestrial, 71 which stars Skins alum Jack O’Connell, the Spanish-language film La jaula de oro/The Golden Dream and Disney’s beloved classic movie Fantasia.

the-golden-dream_imageMonday 20 April: La jaula de oro (The Golden Dream) Age Recommendation 15+.

A very popular Spanish language drama concerning a group of Guatemalan teenagers who attempt to make their way to the USA, dreaming of a better life. However, they are ill equipped, both physically and emotionally, for the challenges they face in getting there.

E.T. - The Extra TerrestrialTuesday 21 April: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (Junior Cycle English) Cert: G

Spielberg’s sci-fi film is a modern classic, with its groundbreaking cinematography truly meriting big screen viewing. Considered revolutionary for its use of special effects, including its iconic flight scene, this story of a lonely boy who makes friends with a stranded extra-terrestrial has much to offer students’ study of language.

71_imageWednesday 22 April: ’71 (Senior Cycle) Age Recommendation 15+.

Gary Hook (Jack O’Connell) is a young English soldier stationed in Belfast in 1971. Uninformed about the political situation, Hook grapples to understand the city, finding he is alone on its deadly streets. A fastpaced film that sets the violent political situation within the context of an action thriller.

fantasia_imageThursday 23 April: Fantasia Cert: G

Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney. The film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” features Mickey Mouse as an aspiring magician who oversteps his limits. “The Rite of Spring” tells the story of evolution, from single-celled animals to the death of the dinosaurs. “Dance of the Hours” is a comic ballet performed by ostriches, hippos, elephants, and alligators. “Night on Bald Mountain” and “Ave Maria” set the forces of darkness and light against each other as a devilish revel is interrupted by the coming of a new day.

Cork Film Festival’s Spring Fling is presented in association with the Irish Film Institute and Gate Cinemas Cork.