Into Film Clubs
Find out everything you need to know about starting an Into Film Club.
We are thrilled to be partnering with the BFI (British Film Institute) to add four new titles to our free* streaming service, Into Film+. As part of a new agreement, Into Film will offer UK schools access to a selection of independent features and classic re-releases from the BFI catalogue, along with specifically designed film guides to engage young audiences and stimulate discussion.
Along with the recently launched initiative to make samples of the BFI National Archive available to schools, this agreement enables educators to easily access cultural, inspiring and cinematic content licensed by the BFI. Our team has carefully selected a range of modern and longstanding classics of British cinema and beyond that cover topics including disability, citizenship and growing up and are relevant for subjects including Film Studies, French and PSHE Education.
Pressure
Widely acknowledged as Britain's first Black feature film, this hard-hitting drama captures 1970s London through the disenchanted eyes of a young man and his Trinidadian family. A seminal film, whose director Horace Ové received a knighthood in 2022, and highly relevant to discussions surrounding citizenship, racism and prejudice and British cinema.
The story highlights the struggles of Tony, a young Black school leaver who, despite having good academic qualifications, finds it all but impossible to find a job. His growing frustration with the institutional racism that prevents him from gaining employment leads him to open up to radical ideas - and question a system that denies him opportunities and benefits.
La Haine
Injustice, national identity and racism are also explored in this stylish black and white French-language thriller set in a marginalised suburb of Paris. Now seen as one of the defining European films of the 1990s, this title is frequently referenced on both Film Studies and French curricula.
Three friends, Vinz, Hubert and Saïd, roam their neighbourhood in the aftermath of the latest riot with police, after another young local resident got badly beaten up while in police custody. When the hot-headed Vinz finds a gun that had been lost by a policeman, it sets off a chain of events that no-one can control.
The 400 Blows
This second French-language addition recently ranked 50th in a list of The Greatest Films of All Time published by British Film Institute. A classic piece of the French New Wave movement, this is the deeply moving tale of a cheeky yet vulnerable schoolboy that may resonate with adults and young people alike, exploring themes of childhood and what it means to find happiness.
Antoine is a lively young teenager who is misunderstood by his parents and seems to be constantly in trouble at school. He runs away from home and turns to petty crime, finding refuge and joy in the dingy streets of Paris. Freedom doesn't last long however, and Antoine is faced with harsh realities and a murky future, which nevertheless never quite dampen his spirit.
My Feral Heart
We are delighted to highlight this little-known British gem, which blends a gentle magical realism with a very perceptive and natural story about the value of community and learning to accept help from others. The film offers an accessible entry point for discussions surrounding disability, inclusion and rural spaces.
Luke is an independent young man with Down's syndrome, forced to move into a care room following the death of his elderly mother. Uneasy in his new environment and seeking solace, Luke wanders off one afternoon, where he encounters a troubled young man serving community service in the home's gardens, and further afield, a young girl in desperate need of Luke's help.
* 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.
Into Film and the Into Film+ streaming service is supported by the UK film industry through Cinema First and the BFI through National Lottery Funding, thanks to National Lottery players.
