Into Film Clubs
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At Into Film, we are regularly adding new short films to Into Film+, our free* streaming service for schools, seeking out fresh perspectives and important topics that we feel can harness the curiosity and passion present in classrooms and film clubs around the country.
One of our newest short films, Calico, features a leading character with vitiligo, a skin condition that affects pigment, leading to pale white patches developing on the skin. It's likely many of us have seen people with vitiligo, as it's estimated to affect one in a hundred people in the UK, but it's very rarely discussed or understood. With World Vitiligo Day on 25 June, now is the perfect time to explore this subject with your classroom and help develop empathy and acceptance.
Calico (recommended for audiences aged 12+) follows Lorie, a teenager with vitiligo, who is bullied at school, and seeks solace in the school's talking goldfish, who convinces her to help it escape. Together, they embark on a cathartic adventure of magical realism and self-acceptance.
Having vitiligo played a big part in director Jake Mavity's own identity-formation as a teenager. "I felt very alone and misunderstood, often as much by the teachers as other pupils", explained Mavity. This insight was a building block for developing Calico's protagonist, Lorrie, who is vulnerable yet determined. Vitiligo is a specific skin condition, but the feeling of being ‘othered' at school is very common, and Calico is a universal story told through a specific set of eyes.
The filmmaking team behind Calico spoke more about their intentions behind the film: "Teaching compassion and understanding to pupils in schools is a vital life skill and gives young people an emotional tool kit to help them navigate complex social interactions both in school and in the outside world too. It was always our hope as filmmakers that Calico would resonate with young people and be impactful on their lives. The partnership with Into Film allows Calico to be used as a conversation starter to themes of identity, body dysmorphia and acceptance."
"Viewing this film on World Vitiligo Day celebrates the diverse and courageous 1-2% of the global population living with vitiligo. It's our intention that Calico gives a voice to these people living with vitiligo, who are extremely under-represented on screen. However, ultimately Calico is a film for anyone who feels marginalised and misunderstood."
Please note: Film is a powerful tool for learning, helping to develop critical thinking, empathy, and an understanding of different perspectives. Our films have been selected with consideration to age-appropriateness, safeguarding, the curriculum and statutory and non-statutory guidance to schools. Some of our films and resources include sensitive content which is highlighted in the guidance that Into Film provides with each film. Educators should carefully watch or read all elements of any content and must ensure they are following their own school's policies and guidelines prior to using films and resources in the classroom or in after-school clubs. The final decision to use any film or resource sits with teachers, who should decide what is appropriate for their students using their professional judgement and their knowledge of their students, their school context and their community. Teachers must follow their school's safeguarding protocol if a student is distressed or makes a disclosure as a result of the use of any film or other content.
How Do I Get Started?
To access Into Film+, all you'll need is an Into Film Account - it's completely free, and only takes a moment to set up. Into Film+ is free to use for all UK state schools that hold a valid Public Video Screening (PVS) Licence from Filmbankmedia.
Filmbankmedia PVS Licences are paid for on behalf of schools by all local authorities in England and by some local authorities in both Wales and Scotland. Into Film NI cover the license cost for some schools in Northern Ireland. For further information on licensing in your locality please see our FAQs.
If you're a state school in England that's funded by the Department for Education, you will automatically have access to Into Film+ Premium, which offers an extended catalogue of 700+ titles. Find out more about Into Film+ Premium in our FAQs.
If you don't have a PVS Licence, or aren't already covered, then a licence can easily be obtained from Filmbankmedia.
Filmbankmedia
Filmbankmedia licenses and distributes film and TV entertainment to many groups and is the licensing authority we work with to ensure schools, libraries and youth groups have the permissions to screen films from our catalogue.
* Screenings for an entertainment or extra-curricular purpose require a PVS (Public Video Screening) Licence from Filmbankmedia. State-funded schools in England are covered by the PVS Licence.
The core Into Film programme is free for UK state schools, colleges and other youth settings, thanks to support from the BFI, awarding National Lottery good cause funding, and through other key funders including Cinema First and Northern Ireland Screen.
