Melbourne film festival streaming content for students

The Melbourne International Film Festival’s (MIFF) digital platform has some eye opening international children’s content available for streaming on the MIFF Play p;atform.

A program of films running nationally online from 2 to 16 September looks to enhance students’ cinema and language learning, intercultural understanding and media-analysis skills.

The program was chosen with a view to presenting high-quality, diverse films in some of the languages commonly taught in schools: French, Mandarin, Spanish, Japanese and German. The films have also been selected for how well they address curriculum learning areas for The Arts, The Humanities, Science and Languages, as well as themes and issues relevant to Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding, and Personal and Social capabilities.

Additionally, MIFF will present free Professional Learning webinars on each of the programmed films. These online seminars will be delivered by Dr Josh Nelson, MIFF’s film-analysis expert, to give teachers additional resources, strategies and ideas for how to best incorporate a screening of a MIFF Schools film with their students’ learning.

The films presented are diverse in content and language and can be booked for $35 (incl. GST) per stream.

Films include:  

A School in Cerro Hueso
Language: Spanish, with English subtitles
This heart-rending Argentinian drama traces the unconventional schooling of a young girl diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

It’s a Summer Film!
Language: Japanese, with English subtitles
Time travel, ambition and teen heartache mix in this exuberant coming-of-age comedy that celebrates friendship and our collective love of the movies.

Mission Ulja Funk
Language: German, with English subtitles
A 12-year-old astronomy geek and her hearse-stealing classmate set out in pursuit of an asteroid in this rollicking road trip.

The Day Is Over
Language: Mandarin, with English subtitles
In Qi Rui’s hauntingly lyrical debut, a child grappling with impoverishment and absent parents dreams of a different life.

The Fantastic Journey of Margot & Marguerite
Language: French, with English subtitles
Two girls learn about life and acceptance in this Parent Trap-style romp with a time-travel twist.