In addition, FILMCLUB, in partnership with Parliament’s Education Service, has made a short film for Parliament Week entitled Stories of Democracy: Making A Difference for which five of the charity’s Young Ambassadors interviewed 15 MPs and Peers - including Rt Hon Lord Speaker Baroness D'Souza, Glenda Jackson MP, RT Hon Simon Hughes MP, Caroline Lucas MP and Lord Fowler - on topics such as who is their most inspirational person, how can young people participate in democracy, how they have made a difference and about films which they think have made a difference. Stories of Democracy: Making A Difference will be hosted on www.filmclub.org and Parliamentary Education Service websites. Commenting on the experience afterwards, 15-year-old schoolgirl and FILMCLUB member, Connie Mangumbu-Lombaya said:
“I learnt that I have a voice, and as a young person a voice is incredibly necessary because we don’t have that much opportunity as an old person would as they can vote, so I can do something even if it isn’t voting I could probably lead Civil Protests, I could help out in Local Elections, I could run for Young Councils. I could do anything.”
Enabling children from all backgrounds to connect with ideas, issues and individuals they wouldn’t normally encounter is a key aim of FILMCLUB. Its involvement in the inaugural Parliament Week - and the effectiveness of film as a tool to engage young people - has been welcomed by Parliament’s Education Service:
“Parliament’s Education Service and FILMCLUB are working together to engage young people with Parliament Week. There are thousands of inspiring stories of how people have made a difference and contributed to democracy, and film is a great medium for telling these stories. We hope the FILMCLUB community of over 250,000 active young people will take the next steps and get involved by thinking about what they can do to make changes to their world.” Tom O’Leary, Head of Education and Public Engagement, Houses of Parliament.
FILMCLUB’s ‘Making a Difference Season’ for Parliament Week 2011 is as follows:
- Paper Clips (2004, U): Moving documentary about some American school students who set about collecting six million paper clips in memory of the Holocaust victims.
- Danny, The Champion of The World (1999, U): A father and son live happily together until their home is threatened by a local businessman.
- The Secret of Nimh (1982, U): Beautiful and interesting animation about some super-intelligent rats with a secret.
- Mr Smith Goes To Washington (1939, U): Thought-provoking film about an idealistic scout leader made a US senator and faced with the reality of widespread political corruption and cynicism.
- Gandhi (1982, PG): Oscar-winning biopic of the Indian civil rights leader starring Ben Kingsley in the title role.
- Made in Dagenham (2010, 15): Feel-good cinema with a political edge about skilled female machinists at Ford fighting for a fair wage
- Persepolis (2007, 12): Adapted from Marjane Satrapi's brilliantly funny autobiographical novel about a rebellious young girl's experience of revolutionary Iran.
- A Small Act (2010, 12): Touching and powerful documentary that shows how what seems like a little gesture to one person, can mean the world to someone else.
- Milk (2008, 15): Sean Penn won an Oscar for this inspiring portrayal of gay rights campaigner, Harvey Milk.
- Sicko (2007, 12): Controversial documentary-maker Michael Moore turns his critical gaze on the US healthcare system, which the patient often struggles to pay for.
A downloadable Parliament Week resource has been produced by FILMCLUB to accompany the film season – detailing how schools can run their own screening and featuring related discussion points for each film, which is available via www.filmclub.org from Monday 31st October.
