Program Description
Education is a primary goal of our mission at Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah. In addition to providing the local community with singular access to films on critical contemporary issues, we also reach out to public and private school students with our educational outreach program, Movies that Matter. Through the Mountainfilm lens, students embark on cultural journeys, encounter inspiring personalities and learn about our planet’s most precious natural resources. All public and private schools in our region are invited to participate. Schools have the opportunity for staff and teachers to view selected films before the student screenings.
Movies that Matter is an educational and entertaining playlist of 5–10 documentary shorts. Playlists cover a variety of topics, designed to educate and inspire students. After viewing the films, students participate in Q & A sessions with directors and personalities from the films. And, in an effort to continue the conversations and ideas sparked at the film screenings, educational materials are available for teachers to use in the classroom. These materials include filmmaker/subject interviews, discussion questions, activities and more.
Objectives, Outcomes, & Impact
The goal of Movies that Matter is to inspire students—to teach them the importance of pursuing dreams, preserving natural resources, embracing different cultures and finding worthwhile adventures. Many of the documentaries feature individuals whose dedication, compassion and strength of character enable them to break records, achieve the “impossible” and defy all stereotypes.
In 2016, Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah screened films for nearly 2,000 public school students. In 2017 and 2018, we doubled that number and hosted over 4,000 students each year. Over the last several years, we have seen student attendees take action as a result of their participation in Movies that Matter. Several schools have started their own recycling programs. And, after viewing the film, With My Own Two Wheels, which featured students in remote villages of India and Africa walking miles and miles to reach school each day, Savannah students raised money to purchase bicycles for children from the film.
By promoting environmental and cultural awareness, Movies that Matter encourages students to become responsible and informed citizens. The films and Q & A sessions foster an environment of critical thinking. The messages inspire and invite students to engage in discussions and ask questions about their world and their generation’s role in shaping the future.
Movies that Matter delivers an empowering message: We all play a role in shaping the future our voices matter.
Students, CLICK HERE to apply for the Zelda Tenenbaum Movies that Matter Scholarship!
This program is sponsored by the City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs