Engaging French and German youths in filmmaking

Cultural encounters are the very core of our mission at FGYO. They resonate with La Semaine de la Critique’s rich, eclectic programme that champions new films that reflect the many facets of our world, and provides strong emotions. This diversity is very dear to us. 

FGYO also wants to build cinema and art into its exchange programmes to raise young people’s awareness of cultural diversity and civic engagement. These film literacy workshops are not only opportunities to discover cinematic artworks, they are also means for young people to sharpen their critical thinking skills and to make up their own minds about various topics, so that they may take part in the public debate. They address the geopolitical, social and environmental challenges of the world in which they will soon take an active part.

FGYO and film literacy have a long history together: we have been standing by La Semaine de la Critique since 2005 to train a wide range of young audiences in film criticism. From May 23rd to 27th, 20 young people from France and Germany - who live far away from our common border - will have the opportunity to discover other cultures during a cross-perspective session, lively discussions, and workshops. 

As the war thunders so painfully in Europe, and we witness the undermining of the peace that had kept since World War II, culture is as paramount as it has ever been in bringing people together. And to quote Amin Maalouf’s words about culture: “One doesn’t assert oneself by denying others.”*

Anne Tallineau and Tobias Bütow
General Secretaries | OFAJ
© Thibaut Chapotot

*Amin Maalouf, In the Name of Identity 
Grasset, 1998