Students at Collège André Maurois in Neuilly-sur-Seine are participating in the “Programme ton film !” (Program Your Film!) initiative, a cinema education project that allows middle schoolers to curate film selections for their peers. The program, which involves five classes across the Hauts-de-Seine department, shifts the role of film selection from educators to students to foster critical thinking and artistic discovery.
The initiative focuses on “découvrir le cinéma autrement” (discovering cinema differently), moving away from passive viewing toward an active role in programming. According to reports on the project’s implementation, students in Neuilly-sur-Seine viewed three films with their teacher before beginning the process of selecting and presenting works to other students. This methodology is designed to bridge the gap between academic study and personal engagement with the arts.
By empowering students to act as programmers, the project mirrors the professional curation process used in film festivals. Participants must justify their choices and consider how a sequence of films can tell a broader story or explore a specific theme. This approach aligns with broader French educational goals to integrate “Éducation aux Médias et à l’Information” (EMI) into the secondary school curriculum, encouraging students to analyze visual narratives critically.
The Structure of the “Programme ton film !” Initiative
The program operates as a collaborative effort between educational institutions and cultural partners. In the current cycle, students from Collège André Maurois are working alongside four other classes within the Hauts-de-Seine department. The process begins with a guided discovery phase where students watch a curated set of films to understand different genres, directing styles, and narrative structures.
Once the foundational viewing is complete, students transition into the role of curators. This involves selecting films that they believe will resonate with their classmates while challenging their perspectives. The goal is not merely to pick “favorite” movies, but to create a program that possesses a coherent logic or thematic thread. This pedagogical shift encourages students to move from a consumer mindset to a curator mindset.
The Hauts-de-Seine department has historically supported various cultural outreach programs to ensure that students in the Paris metropolitan area have access to diverse artistic experiences. The “Programme ton film !” project is part of a larger effort to democratize access to cinema, treating the medium as a tool for both intellectual growth and social cohesion.
Impact on Student Engagement and Media Literacy
Cinema education in France often emphasizes the history of the “Seventh Art,” but “Programme ton film !” prioritizes the student’s voice. By giving students agency over the content, the program increases engagement among those who might otherwise find traditional film analysis tedious. The act of programming requires students to articulate why a specific scene or film is significant, which reinforces their verbal and analytical skills.
According to the project’s framework, the interaction between the five participating classes creates a peer-to-peer learning environment. When a student presents a film chosen by a peer, the reception is often different than when a teacher mandates a viewing. This dynamic reduces the perceived distance between the student and the art form, making cinema feel accessible and malleable.
Furthermore, the project addresses the challenge of “filter bubbles” in the digital age. While streaming algorithms suggest content based on previous views, the “Programme ton film !” model encourages students to seek out films they would not typically encounter. This exposure to diverse cinematography and international storytelling is a core objective of the French Ministry of National Education’s cultural mandates.
Integrating Cinema into the National Curriculum
The activities at Collège André Maurois are not isolated extracurriculars but are integrated into the broader academic goals for middle school students in France. The program supports the development of competencies in French language and literature, as students must write program notes and present their arguments orally. The intersection of visual literacy and written analysis is a key component of the “socle commun” (common core) of knowledge and skills required for all students.
The use of cinema in the classroom also serves as a gateway to discussing complex social issues. Through the films selected by the students, the classes can explore themes of identity, history, and ethics in a way that feels organic rather than forced. This method of “indirect” learning allows students to process difficult topics through the safety of a fictional narrative.
The collaboration between the schools in Hauts-de-Seine suggests a scalable model for other departments. By linking multiple institutions, the program creates a larger network of young critics and programmers, effectively building a youth-led cinematic community across the region.
The next phase of the project involves the final presentation of the student-curated programs to their peers and the community. Updates on the selected films and the resulting screenings are typically shared through the school’s official communication channels and departmental cultural reports.
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