IRISH SCHOOLCHILDREN WIN TOP MOVIE AWARDS AT FILM FESTIVAL
The National FÍS Film Festival took place this afternoon (Thursday 25th October 2007) in the Helix at Dublin City University with over 800 children and their teachers attending from across the country. The Irish star of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” Evanna Lynch, attended as a special guest. Over 25 awards were presented to schools and their students to celebrate their outstanding film achievements in moviemaking with particular acknowledgement in areas such as animation, acting, editing and direction.
This is the third year the Festival celebrates outstanding achievements by primary school children involved in the FÍS (Film In Schools) project. The FÍS project is an initiative designed to introduce the medium of film as a support to the Primary School Curriculum.
Commenting on the awards, Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin T.D. said “Children from Dún Chaoin, Kerry, to Sligo and from Wexford to Louth and many schools in between have made films using the FÍS methodology. This year there is such a wide range of films - historical, comedy, horror and cinn as Gaeilge freisin. A special thanks to all the teachers involved in FÍS who have risen to the challenge by providing such wonderful creative learning opportunities for their children.”
As part of the curriculum for primary schools, children in over 100 primary schools throughout Ireland wrote, directed and produced their own 5-minute films. Their efforts were supported by the National Centre for Technology in Education that provided training in film making techniques and digital and film editing equipment. Regional screening events, many taking place at public cinemas, were organised by local Education Centres and generated huge excitement. From the 100 submitted films, 25 were selected for their acclaimed merits to participate at the F�S Film Festival.
Anne White, National Coordinator with the National Centre for Technology in Education said about the event “FÍS touches every nerve of the primary curriculum. It brings alive the immense creativity of children and their ability to apply the technology in a collaborative way in film making. It simply makes learning great fun.”
The FÍS Film Festival is run by the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) and supported by Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology (IADT). It has the full support and active participation of the Department of Education and Science.
-ENDS-
Please note: Anne White is available for interview on 087 293 1628.
A DVD with all the produced films is also available.
For further information please contact:
Erin Mullally
Paul Allen & Associates
Public Relations
4 Upper Mount Street,
Dublin 2
Mobile: 087 9056951
Tel: 00-353-1-6769575
Fax: 00-353-1-6769518
www.prireland.com
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