Into Film launches mental wellbeing campaign for UK schools

Education charity, Into Film has launched a comprehensive programme of curated films, resources and teacher tools supporting the mental wellbeing of pupils ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10.

Acknowledging that children and young people are currently experiencing unprecedented challenges to their mental health and wellbeing, the use of film in the classroom can be a powerful medium for teachers to explore and discuss difficult subjects as well as encourage understanding of other people’s experiences.

Into Film engages with over half of UK schools and offers trusted, free educational support for teachers, advocating the use of film as a powerful tool for learning.

The just launched programme of curated mental wellbeing films and resources features exclusive filmed content from a range of sources including filmmakers and youth mental health professionals. It is all available for educators on Into Film+, the only free and rights-compliant film streaming service for UK schools.

The curated films, aimed at 5 to 19-year-olds, support World Mental Health Day and include the following films:

• My Life as a Courgette (cert PG) – featuring an exploration of UNICEF’s rights of the child in relation to the film.
• A Monster Calls (cert 12) – featuring an exclusive interview withauthor and screenwriter, Patrick Ness and illustrator, Jim Kay in discussion about processing grief, bullying and the role that creating and consuming art can play in our overall mental wellbeing.
• Inside Out (cert U) – featuring an introduction from youth mental health charity Place2Be’s clinical director Nikki Cooper and an interview with the film’s co-director Ronnie Del Carmen. This is together with further material for primary aged children that explores emotional wellbeing and teaches them to recognise and label their own emotions; a major part of the national curriculum.
• Love Simon (cert 12A) – featuring exclusive content with Stonewall charity that explores friendships and coming out as LGBTQ.
• Wonder (cert PG) – featuring an introduction from anti-bullying charity Kidscape ambassador and young filmmaker, Eden, and ‘a closer look’ at the main character’s experience in school.
• McQueen (cert 15) – featuring the filmmakers discussing the extraordinary life of Alexander McQueen, addiction and creativity.
• Moving Minds – a curated collection of youth-made shorts and a brand-new accompanying teaching resource that tackle a variety of mental health and wellbeing issues. Available from 4 October.
• Dear Evan Hanson (cert 15 TBC) – An exclusive filmed Q&A event, ahead of the film’s release, featuring the Mental Health Foundation. Director Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Wonder), actor Nik Dodani and Jane Caro – a mental health expert and assistant director for programmes in England at the Mental Health Foundation – explore the challenging life events in the film such as grief, loss, suicide and social isolation as well as how these challenges can impact children and young people. It will be available from 8 October.

Into Film, in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, has also launched a Mindfulness Through Film resource www.intofilm.org/resources and will offer mindfulness CPD training this Autumn supporting teachers and their pupils for World Mental Health Day www.intofilm.org/training

For further information about the mental wellbeing campaigngo to www.intofilm.org/mentalwellbeing To sign up to the streaming platform, Into Film+: www.intofilm.org/films