Pictured: Sir Kenneth Branagh launches the Into Film Festival

World’s Largest Youth Film Festival set to bring film and learning to young people in Newtownards, Bangor, Lisburn from 9th – 25th November 2016

“I’m thrilled to support the Into Film Festival. It’s an incredible opportunity for young people in Northern Ireland to experience the cinema and be immersed in a film or a discussion. The fact that they could watch something that they would not necessarily consider seeing on their own - all for free - is a truly magnificent offer. I hope that young people and teachers in Northern Ireland take advantage of the Into Film Festival and come away with a head full of new insights, ideas and an invigorated passion for film.”

Sir Kenneth Branagh, actor, director and Into Film Northern Ireland Ambassador

To explore the world of film as an education tool, Into Film supports hundreds of schools and youth groups across Northern Ireland. Through November’s free Into Film festival children, from age 5-19 years old, will have the opportunity to experience the wonder of film in the cinema.

With its diverse programme of free screenings and events, the festival uses the power of film to captivate young minds and bring learning to life.  Selected with educators in mind, the film titles - encompassing blockbusters, adaptations of novels and plays, classic films, documentaries, foreign language and world cinema - will address subjects including immigration, loss and discrimination.

• The 2016 Into Film Festival in Northern Ireland will kick off with a special Satellite screening of Matilda at the Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast to mark the Roald Dahl centenary.

• Into Film festival screenings include:

Newtownards - Screening in the ‘Ark’ of Two By Two (Oops, Noah Is Gone) at Ark Farm

Bangor - Zootropolis (Autism Friendly Screening)

Lisburn - Special screening of Paper Planes at the Ulster Aviation Society; James and the Giant Peach, Stick Man and Room On the Broom

Supporting more than 800 film clubs across Northern Ireland (16,000 in the UK), teachers can book tickets, access a wealth of support and inspire pupils by bringing the magic of the movies into the classroom. To support the festival screenings and film clubs, Into Film provide a host of free teaching resources, DVD’s, teacher training sessions and special events to enhance the curriculum and promote the use of film within education.

Further details on the Into Film clubs and Festival can be found at www.intofilm.org. Into Film is supported locally by Northern Ireland Screen.

The Into Film Festival 2016 will take place from 9th-25th November. All events and screening are free, and booking is now open. For further information please visit www.intofilm.org/festival

For further information on the Into Film Festival Northern Ireland, please contact:

Wendy Kidd 07970 861 480 or wendy.kidd@intofilm.org