After having to cancel the 2020 Into Film Festival due to COVID-19, we are back this year with a whole host of exciting and education-packed screenings across the UK for 5-19 year olds.
Due to the ongoing considerations regarding COVID-19, the 2021 Festival will be different from previous years, however we're confident even at a smaller scale, this year's Into Film Festival will be the celebration of cinema and culture we've all been eagerly awaiting, with lots of exciting new film titles.
The Into Film Festival was a great opportunity for our pupils to visit the cinema for a film premiere. The film itself was an entertaining documentary about climate change, providing the pupils with very important information about what is going on in the world, and how we can all contribute to make a positive difference.
Sally Travis, Teacher at Walkley Primary School, Sheffield
The Into Film Festival will run from the 10-26 November 2021 and bookings are now live for Into Film Club leaders, with bookings for all other school groups going live on the morning of Friday 10 September.
What will the Into Film Festival look like this year?
The safety of all attendees is of the utmost importance to us at Into Film, so alongside monitoring both the COVID-19 Government guidelines and Public Health guidance in each nation of the UK, we will be doing everything we can to create a safe and comfortable experience for all young people and their teachers.
Who can attend the Into Film Festival 2021?
We're delighted to be able to offer places at this year's Into Film Festival to teaching staff that are bringing groups of young people aged 5-19. Attendee safety is the highest priority for Into Film and the pandemic has highlighted the need to proceed with caution when organising public events. As such we will be limiting each screening to one school group per screening, with the aim of avoiding different groups mixing. This means that there will be a minimum school group size per screening to ensure we reach the widest audience possible - this will be listed on the page when you book.
Why can only school groups attend this year's Festival?
We have taken the decision to prioritise school group bookings for safety reasons. The health and safety of all attendees at our live events remains our upmost priority. We recognise that this approach may lead to disappointment for some schools and educators hoping to attend.
We want to reach the widest audience possible, encouraging large school groups to book places so that the experience can have the biggest possible impact on children and young people, providing a wellbeing boost after the most difficult of times.
What is the maximum number of seats to book?
You can book as many seats as is listed for each event, depending on the capacity of the screen. This will be a reduced capacity compared to the actual number of seats in the auditorium, to help allow for social distancing. We would encourage schools to book as many seats as they can to ensure the highest number of children and young people can benefit from this year's Festival.
What are the COVID-19 guidelines for the Festival?
The Festival will adhere to all current COVID-19 Government guidelines. Into Film will be continuously monitoring and adhering to government and Public Health guidance regarding events, including specifications unique to each nation of the UK.
We are committed to making these Festival screenings COVID-19 safe, and in-turn, create as safe an environment as possible in which to take part. We will be monitoring the updates to guidance published by the government and you will be informed promptly should there be a change to your event.
For individual cinema guidelines please visit the cinema's websites where you'll be able to find the regulations they've put in place. Please also refer to the Event Safety Plan for advice on preparation you're your trip and risk assessment. Any specific instructions for your screening will be listed within the booking page for the event, which you'll receive within your booking confirmation e-mail.
Cancellations
The cinema industry has had a very challenging year, and those cinemas that are taking part in the Into Film Festival are very excited to welcome young people back into their venues. As always, the cinemas are offering their spaces and staff for free, so if you no longer require your booking, please let our bookings team know ASAP (no later than 48 hours in advance of the screening) so that we can give the venues as much notice as possible.
As this year's Festival will see only one school group in attendance per event, it means cancellations have greater significance than ever for the host cinema.
