Into Film Clubs
Find out everything you need to know about starting an Into Film Club.
This year's Into Film Festival kicked off today with packed screenings of beautiful British animation Kensuke's Kingdom at locations across the UK, kicking off a three-week celebration of cinema and the screen industries for young people.
Kensuke's Kingdom is a gorgeously hand-drawn animation that promotes respect for nature and wildlife and celebrates the beauty of human connections that transcend language barriers.
Adapted from British author Michael Morpurgo's much-loved children's novel, Kensuke's Kingdom follows an 11-year-old boy named Michael who is sailing across the Pacific with his family, only to find himself washed up on a desert island. There he meets another survivor - a Japanese man who has lived there alone for many years. Together, they offer strength to one another and live harmoniously with the pristine wilderness - until it seems as if someone else may have designs on the island.
At Cineworld in London's Leicester Square we were joined by the film's directors, Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry, who introduced the film and spoke to an enthusiastic audience about the making of the film - a process that was so lengthy that most of the young audience weren't even born when the project began!
In Cardiff we were joined by representatives from Bumpy Box, the Welsh animation studio who worked on the film, who were able to provide insight into what goes into making a hand-drawn animated feature film, while in Liverpool it was an honour to have novelist, screenwriter and Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce introduce the film. And in Scotland, young actor Aaron MacGregor, who voices Michael in the film, was on hand to speak to young audiences about his career and present a screening in the very apt surroundings of Edinburgh Zoo.
The Into Film Festival continues until Friday 29 November, with thousands of free film screenings, special events and previews, and interactive Q&A sessions with screen industry professionals, making it the perfect opportunity to support young people in enjoying the big screen experience.
Upcoming highlights include a special screening of musical adaptation Wicked followed by a panel made up of those who worked on the film in various roles, a career-retrospective with award-winning British director Amma Asante, a special screening and talk with Andrea Arnold, and a special pupil premiere of Moana 2 to close out the Festival.
Keep an eye out for more Festival highlights over the coming weeks, and if you want to join us, there's still time, with many events still having spaces available. Browse now to find screenings near you!
The Into Film Festival is possible thanks to the support of Cinema First and multiple partners across the cinema sector.
