SCHOOL LIBRARY D. CARLOS I JOINS THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM “CINEMA, 100 ANS DE JEUNESSE”

For the fifth consecutive year, the School Library at D. Carlos I School in Sintra, Portugal, develops activities within the scope of the National Cinema Plan. The National Cinema Plan is intended as a literacy plan for cinema and for the dissemination of cinematographic works among the school audience and aims to train school audiences, awakening in young people the habit of watching cinema, as well as valuing it as an art form amongst the educational communities.

It should be noted that the National Cinema Plan is a joint initiative of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, through the Office of the Secretary of State for Culture, and the Ministry of Education and Science, by the Office of the Secretary of State for Basic and Secondary Education, and operated by the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual, the Cinemateca and the Directorate-General for Education.

D. Carlos I School Library is thus associated with initiatives to implement the New Cinema Law that provide for the dissemination of cinematographic works of historical importance, particularly feature films, short films, documentaries and animation films produced in Portugal.

Therefore, and since D. Carlos I School Library's mission is to promote various literacies such as reading literacy, information literacy and media literacy, and believing that a program for cinema literacy among our students would help to consolidate this mission, it decided to integrate the workshops of the international program “CINEMA, 100 ANS DE JEUNESSE” as a pedagogical reflection program.

The project “CINEMA, 100 ANS DE JEUNESSE”, in which 43 workshops from 16 countries participate in the present academic year, is coordinated by CINÉMATÈQUE FRANÇAISE and has as a cultural partner in Portugal: the Association Os Filhos de Lumière with Cinemateca Portuguesa in Lisbon.

9th grade students from D. Carlos I School participate in these



workshops. The workshops which began in September 2019 and will continue until the end of June 2020, are run by a film professional, in this case Film Director Nathalie Mansoux, in collaboration with a Pedagogical Team, Teacher Cristina Didelet and Teacher Librarian Sandra Pratas e Sousa.

Throughout the first semester, and according to the * Rules of the Game that are given to all participants, students started doing small individual exercises. The * Rules of the Game are the basis of what should be thought and put into practice with filmmakers, teachers and students throughout the year, through practical exercises, so that they can explore and understand the issue to be worked on this year and that deals with “SENSATIONS IN CINEMA”.

In the second semester, these exercises will culminate with the creation of a collective essay film, always in relation to the * Cinema Question of the current year, that is, sensations in Cinema. It should be noted that each * Cinema Question is thought and chosen each year by the cultural partners of the 16 countries and the coordinators of the French Cinematheque. Also, its methodology is worked under the pedagogical coordination of Alain Bergala.

Before proceeding to the stage of making this * Collective Essay Film, it was essential to view excerpts from films associated with the exercises, which helped to specify and understand the issue. It is obvious that during these workshops it will be a regular practice to watch excerpts from films, in order to stimulate the questioning and creativity of the participating students.

The presentation of the students' collective essay films will take place in the summer of 2020 at the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, and will be attended by teachers, filmmakers, cultural partners, but also by small delegations of students from the 16 countries involved: Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Spain, France, India, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Portugal, United Kingdom (England and Scotland), and Uruguay.


It is worth highlighting the shooting sessions in which our young filmmakers had the opportunity to divide themselves into technical teams and assume the role of film directors, taking responsibility for all technical and artistic decisions. These shootings fulfilled the main objective of making a real cinema experience possible, leading students to be able to make a film of their own.

One of the guidelines of this program is that the films made by students remain close to a universe of childhood and adolescence in which they play the leading roles, avoiding, for example, children playing adult roles. The goal is to express something "true" about the place they live and their way of life.

Also, in order to keep a record of their cinematographic journeys and help them reflect on their approaches, students are invited to express themselves in two ways: either through a "Cent Ans de Jeunesse Notebook", or through another notebook, which can be used in the classroom or at home. In it students can can post personal notes as if it were a diary, or through entries on the Cinémathèque française blog available at http://blog.cinematheque.fr/100ans20192020/.

Another objective to be pursued will be that each workshop presents itself, communicates and establishes a true exchange with the other 11 workshops in Portugal as well as with the other countries throughout the year.

It is also worth highlighting that this program is part of the Academies of Knowledge promoted by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and also of the project “O Mundo À Nossa Volta”, supported by the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual (ICA), and finally by the Municipalities of the participating schools.

Without the shadow of a doubt, this project will ensure an immersive experience for all who participate in it.

THIS IS US!

Hello everybody! 

My name is Sara Costa and I am 14 years old. I am a 9th grade Portuguese student living in the charming village of Sintra. I love the art of the cinema. I’m also learning music in a Conservatory. Since I was little, I attend  the Senior University in the city of Porto for a week.

When searching for Universities, I always look for those with the course option of film studies because I really like cinema and I want to learn more about it and maybe someday become a filmmaker or work in the industry.

Hello strangers!

My name is Catarina Almeida. I’m 14 years old and I live in a small country named Portugal. I think of myself as someone very relaxed and curious.

I started taking horsemanship lessons at the age of 11 years old and have never stopped. In my free times I enjoy watching movies.

I decided to sign up for this cinema programme because I think it is important to know a little more about the film industry and understand the process of film making.

Hi there!

My name is David Martins. I am a 15 year-old-student and I attend D. Carlos I school in Sintra, Portugal.

I consider myself to be a very relaxed and outgoing person.

I enjoy playing basketball  with my friends and I also study music in a Conservatory

I am truly enjoying making part of this cinema group because I am what you call a film-buff and I always wanted to know what was going on behind the big screen.

Hi everybody!

My name is Carlos Fonseca. I was born in Brazil but I’m living and studying in Portugal.

I'm 16 years old I study at D. Carlos l School in Sintra. The school was named after me. Just kidding!:)

I like to play sports, especially football.

I am really enjoying participating in this cinema project together with my schoolmates.

Hello from Portugal!

My name is Matilde Ferreira. I’m 14 years old and I attend a public school in Sintra called D.Carlos I. 

I consider myself to be a very creative and sympathetic person.

I love swimming, drawing and creating memes.

I’m really enjoying making part of this group and I think the project is very interesting.

I am Miriam Tavares, I’m 15 years old and I was born in Mozambique but I currently attend a public school in Sintra, Portugal called D.Carlos I. 

I enjoy playing sports, reading and dancing. 

I really like being apart of this group with my classmates and I think the project is very interesting.

Hi everybody!

My name is Catarina Figueira. I’m 14 years old and I attend D. Carlos I public school in Sintra.

I consider myself to be a very generous, curious and hard-working person.

I love doing gymnastics and watching series. I also study music at the conservatory and I play the piano.

I’m really enjoying being part of this cinema group because it’s a lot of fun learning about cinema and understanding the whole process of film-making behind the scenes. 

Hello, my name is Francisca Batista and I'm 14 years old.I attend D. Carlos I school in Sintra, Portugal. 

In my spare time I like to listen to music, sing, dance, draw and skate with my friends.

I decided to join this project because I found it interesting and a way to improve my creativity.

I'm really enjoying participating and getting to know more about the cinematographic production. 

I'm glad to be part of this group.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------