Review writing competition: Stories From Around The World

26 Jan 2017

The Adventures of Prince Achmed
The Adventures of Prince Achmed

To coincide with National Storytelling Week (28 Jan - 4 Feb) and our ongoing Language theme for this term, our latest Review Writing Competition will be focused on films that highlight different forms of storytelling from around the world.

[Please note that this competition has now closed]

How To Enter

This competition is open to both Primary and Secondary age pupils. We want to hear what young people aged 5-11 and 12-19 think of the many films that celebrate traditional storytelling techniques, as well as those that give traditional stories a fresh, contemporary twist.

Entering couldn't be easier - just head over to filmclub.org and log in to your member account, and then leave your review on the appropriate film page. All reviews which meet the criteria below will automatically be entered into the competition. Only reviews of the films listed below will be considered.

The Primary category is aimed at young people aged between 5-11, and all of the films on the Primary list are rated either U or PG. The Secondary category is aimed at young people aged 12-19, and all films on the Secondary list are rated 12 or below. Reviews for either category can be of any length.

If you are the leader of a film club and would like to know how to set up member accounts for your pupils so they can submit reviews, take a look at this video or contact your Into Film Programme Coordinator.

Alternatively, you can post your reviews to us, but be sure to note your school/college name and the details of a person to contact within the school/college along with your review. Physical entries should be sent to:

FREEPOST RTAE-BAZG-CSZZ
FILMCLUB
Damaso House
31 Islington Green
London N1 8DU

Eligible Films

Young people of either age category can review the following films to enter the competition, but please note that there are also several films specifically selected just for the Primary and Secondary age categories respectively. These films are highlighted below.

Primary only

Secondary only

Competition Details

While National Storytelling Week takes place between 29 Jan and 4 Feb, the competition will remain open until 31 March so that clubs have plenty of time to submit their reviews. The winner will be announced in April, and in light of the global nature of the films selected for the competition, the winning scribes in each category will be rewarded with:

  • An Into Film World Cinema pack featuring DVDs
  • A Lonely Planet journal
  • Travel goodies
  • £30 worth of cinema vouchers

Runners up in each age group will also receive a DVD of their choice from the films featured in the competition.

Any reviews of the relevant films that are submitted before 31 March 2017 will be considered for the competition. If you have previously submitted a review for one of the films prior to this date, but would like for that review to be considered for this competition, please contact your Film Programme Coordinator who will gladly assist you with this.

Full terms and conditions can be found here.

If you would like your students to enter the competition but don't have a club, they are free for state funded school and non-school settings, and are quick and easy to set up, providing a flexible model that can be tailored to the social and academic needs of particular pupils, and/or school or youth settings.

Why Review?

Review writing is an integral part of being into film, and it's something that we always try to encourage our members to get involved with. To help make your reviews even better, you can use our Creating Effective Film Reviews resources, which contain step-by-step guides, activities and workbooks, and PowerPoint presentations to help you create ever-more effective film reviews.

These resources offer fun and flexible approaches to film reviewing, and are designed for film club sessions or classroom use. They will provide tips that work with any film and can be easily adapted to suit different ability groups.

Need more help with reviews?

In the video below, Guardian and Financial Times writer and Film 2016 critic Danny Leigh gives us his Top 5 Reviewing Tips.

You may also be interested in...

Viewing 4 of 4 related items.

Into Film Clubs

Into Film Clubs

Find out everything you need to know about starting an Into Film Club.

News details

Want to write for us?

Get in touch with your article ideas for the News and Views section.