One of the key aspects of the festival is its commitment to film education. The Film Education Conference at TAIFAS, taking place from October 15 to 17, will bring together experts in cinema and education to discuss the impact of film as an educational tool. Participants from 24 organizations in Romania, Moldova, and Serbia—representing film festivals, youth groups, and film education organizations—will engage in experience-sharing sessions and debate the future of film education in Romania and neighboring countries.
Nathalie Bourgeois (CinEd Pedagogical Coordinator), Eva Spilkova (ACFK) and Evi Karageorgu (Arte Urbana Collective), will present the CinEd program and methodology, providing practical approaches for using the platform in various situations while drawing on participants' experiences.
CinEd is a strategic and structured film education program aimed at children and young adults in Europe, aged 6 to 19 years.
Nathalie Bourgeois created the educational service at Cinémathèque française and currently works as an independent educational consultant for DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum (Frankfurt) and other European educational programs. She has been coordinating the CinEd program since its inception. For 30 years, she has worked alongside Alain Bergala (theorist and filmmaker) on the international program Le Cinéma, cent ans de jeunesse – CCAJwhich annually organizes film workshops for students in collaboration with film practitioners, combining film viewing and production through an innovative pedagogical approach
Eva Spilkova (ACFK) works for the Association for Film and Audiovisual Education and the Association of Czech Film Clubs. For 10 years, she has coordinated the CinEd program in the Czech Republic. She also leads the ARTER program—Young Audience Club—aimed at bringing the arts and creative industries to a young audience. ARTER provides young people with opportunities to participate in Erasmus projects or gain experience in film production from an early age and it consists of a network of theaters, museums, philharmonics, and galleries in the region.
Evi Karageorgu is a producer and filmmaker specializing in film education programs at Bulgaria's largest organization for film education, Arte Urbana Collectif. She coordinates the international film festival for children and youth, Meetings of Young European Cinema as well as the film education program for children aged 3 to 7, Cinemini Europe Bulgaria.Additionally, she founded the projects *Cinefonia*—events and workshops dedicated to cinema and music for various age groups—and My Place in Cinema.
In parallel sessions, Ivana Seslek from Shadow Casters (Croatia) will conduct a CinEd training in Serbian for teachers from Novi Sad (Serbia) and the Dositej Obradovic High School in Timișoara. This collaboration aims to expand the CinEd partner network and establish connections in neighboring countries.
Ivana Šešlek is the national coordinator of the CinEd project in Croatia and actively collaborates with various organizations and artists to develop programs in film education and contemporary art. Previously, she was the head of the Education Department at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb and worked as a curator and educator within the WHW collective and the WHW Academy.
Public events
Shaping the Future of Film Education: Perspectives and Practices
Tuesday, October 15, 5:00 PM, Cinema Timiș
Panel 1: Film and Vulnerability: Empowering Audiences Through Film Education Programs
Panel 2: Towards a National Film Program in Romania: Realities from Partnering Countries
This event brings together cinema and education experts to discuss the impact of film as an educational tool and the development of a national film education plan. The event will be held in English.
Your Children Are Free!
Wednesday, October 16, 5:00 PM, Cinema Victoria
Directed by: Collective creation by participants of the CinEd 2.1 Urban Film Camp: Anais-Zara Dragu, Albert Ogodescu, Bogdan Gârbovan, Carla Coteț, Cristian Truică, Daria Dan, Denisa Răduț, Irina Barbura, Larisa Ariton, Luca-Ryan Puia, Matei Târțan, Oana-Maria Dumitrescu, Răzvan-Ciprian Procopciuc, Răzvan Gârbovan, Sara Wasicsek, Timea-Maria Chirică
Duration: 28 min
Copiii voştri sunt liberi! is a short essay documentary created by teenagers during the CinEd 2.1 Urban Film Camp. The film explores the Romanian Revolution of December 1989 from a personal and reflective perspective. Participants were inspired through visits to symbolic locations, film screenings, filmmaking workshops, and critical discussions about freedom and democracy, resulting in a film that reflects the unique viewpoints of young people on these historical events and their impact on the present. The short film combines archival footage with contemporary scenes, offering a profound exploration of the moments that marked recent history. It captures the current generation's relationship with the events of ’89 Your Children Are Free! , addressing themes of freedom, courage, and collective memory.