'Film: a language without borders' is a programme aimed at children and young people in schools with ethnic origin other than German, British and Danish/European, aged 6-18, and children from their host communities. The project aims to explore and share how film education can support the target group to better understand their new communities and neighbours, and the wider traditions, cultures and values that we call 'European'.

The BFI has developed resources for eight European feature films and three short films, that each explore the experience of children arriving in an unfamiliar place, or otherwise having an experience of being different.

The feature films selected are:

• Paddington
• Ernest & Celestine
• Billy Elliot
• Sing Street
• We Shall Overcome
• My Life as a Courgette
• Emil and the Detectives
• Fighter

The short film programme includes The Red Balloon, Jemima & Johnny and Palle Alone In The World.

The programme will be happening in Germany, Denmark and the UK. Throughout 2018, cinemas in the UK, including BFI Southbank, Glasgow Film Theatre and Gulbenkian Cinema Canterbury, will be showing the films, contextualised by talks and discussion.

Read our blog with Mark Reid, Head of Education at the BFI, who talks about this project and the importance of film education.

Image: My Life as a Courgette (2016). Courtesy of Rita Productions.