In the spring of 2025, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) and its sub-festival Just Film, in cooperation with Kinomaja Film School, launched Estonia’s first film education network.

Film is a natural form of expression and a cultural language for young people, something they engage with every day. Yet film education currently reaches schools and hobby schools rather sporadically — often depending on individual enthusiasts, isolated projects, or festivals.

To build a stronger and more sustainable foundation, we initiated the Estonian Film Education Network.

MISSION

The mission of the Estonian Film Education Network is to promote film education as an essential part of general education by fostering young people’s critical media literacy, creativity, and cultural awareness. The network brings together film and education professionals to ensure a systematic, accessible, and high-quality implementation of film education in Estonia’s general and extracurricular schools.

VISION

In the future, film education will be a natural and valued part of the Estonian education system. A large number of students will become conscious and creative consumers and creators of visual culture. Teachers will be equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools, and film education will be integrated into curricula and nationally supported. Cinema culture will be recognized and appreciated by both students and teachers.

GOALS

• Create a unified and collaborative platform for organizations, teachers, and film professionals working in film education.
• Raise awareness of the importance of film education in supporting youth development.
• Compile and distribute high-quality teaching materials for film education.
• Develop teachers’ competencies in the field of film education through training and networking.
• Support the integration of film education into the general education curriculum.
• Create and promote film-making and viewing experiences for young people both inside and outside the school environment.
• Collect and share best practices from Estonia and international experiences.
• Support cooperation between cultural and educational institutions in developing film education.
• Support the establishment of film clubs and film circles.
• Encourage the development of regional film festivals aimed at school youth.
• Acknowledge the rapid development of technology (including artificial intelligence) and support the use of innovative tools in film education.

WHY IS A NETWORK NEEDED?

• Currently, the presence of film education in schools and hobby schools depends on individual teachers, projects, or festivals.
• Understanding visual language is a crucial 21st-century skill — like reading, it must be taught.
• Film education develops essential key competencies such as analytical thinking, creativity, teamwork, technical literacy, communication, empathy, and values. It is well-suited to support key competencies across different subjects and encourages integration.
• Teachers need support and training. Most teachers lack awareness or confidence in how to use films in education.
• Film and video are natural and motivating tools for young people, supporting self-expression and identity development.
• Film education can also be a preventive and supportive tool in the field of mental health.
• The network provides a framework for cooperation and a support structure to ensure knowledge and resources reach more young people.

For more information, contact:

Mikk Granström
mikk@poff.ee

Liina Särkinen
liina.sarkinen@gmail.com