Nuovo Cinema Coraggioso

Stories from reality to understand the present

Nuovo Cinema Coraggioso is a national film education project that brings the cinema of the real into schools, turning students into aware viewers and cultural advocates. Originally launched under the title “10 anni di migrazioni – racconti video per le scuole” (“10 Years of Migration – Video Stories for Schools”), it is now in its third edition and continues to engage thousands of young people in a journey of viewing, analysis and active participation.

Through a catalog of Italian and international short and feature films, the project invites classes to explore fundamental themes such as courage, dialogue, memory and human relationships, encouraging critical thinking and civic engagement.

Numbers since 2019:

• SCHOOLS: 70
• STUDENTS INVOLVED: 3,000
• TEACHERS INVOLVED: 120
• REGIONS INVOLVED: 10

Follow the project’s website to stay up to date on all the activities of Nuovo Cinema Coraggioso.

An initiative carried out as part of the National Plan for Cinema and Images in Schools, promoted by MiC – Ministry of Culture and MIM – Ministry of Education and Merit (cinemaperlascuola.istruzione.it).

The project is structured as an educational program for students and teachers:

• Teacher training: an online in-depth session to acquire innovative teaching tools through cinema.
• Student workshops: each class, accompanied by expert trainers or by the teachers themselves, chooses a film from the catalog and takes part in screening sessions and critical analysis.
• School twinning: an exchange between classes from different regions on the themes explored in the films.
• Final events open to the public: students become protagonists of the cultural scene, presenting their chosen film to the community through the consensus method.

A journey through cinema to inspire, educate and transform the way young people see the world.

The project includes two workshop paths in schools, both aimed at preparing a final event open to the public:

• Workshops led by expert trainers: each class takes part in a series of sessions guided by specialized trainers, exploring the themes addressed through cinema and preparing a public presentation of their journey.
• Teacher-led workshops: a group of teachers, after intensive training delivered with ZaLab and the Movimento di Cooperazione Educativa (MCE), independently lead the workshop in their own classes. Although they are not professional trainers, the teachers put into practice the tools and methods they have learned, actively involving students in an experience of viewing and critical reflection.

The final event is the culmination of the project, in which students present the films they have chosen, becoming cultural advocates and protagonists of the public scene.

The project’s catalog offers a wide selection of films for children and teenagers, with a focus on documentaries and animation. The core themes (growing up, identity, relationships, nature, inclusion and rights) are organized into thematic tags to make the films easier to use in educational settings.

Thanks to the collaboration with prestigious partners such as Artinvita International Festival of Abruzzo, Biografilm, Animaphix Film Festival, the African Film Festival of Verona and the Trento Film Festival, the catalog is a unique resource for schools and teachers.

In this way, the school becomes a stronghold of democracy and a place of cultural sharing, where image education is interwoven with civic education.

A Courageous ending

In May and June, the project will culminate in final events where students, drawing on the strategies learned during the workshops, will publicly present their chosen films, turning each screening into a moment of participation and exchange with the community.