We started inclusive film education activities for children and youth at Kino Úsmev in 2019. Participants of the film school called Klapka, Úsmev! study filmmaking in a creative way and learn different film techniques and approaches under the guidance of professional lecturers. At the end of the courses, the graduates present their work to parents and invited guests in the big cinema hall at Kino Úsmev. In 2022, we want to add classes led by Icelandic film professionals.
An important aspect of the entire educational process is inclusion. For this reason, we cooperate with non-profit organizations that work with vulnerable groups, including Roma children (ETP Slovakia), children with mental or physical disabilities (Usmej sa na mňa) and children from refugee families (Mareena). For these groups, the courses are accessible free of charge, which is how we want to prevent financial barriers. The goal of the inclusive film school is to contribute to building a more tolerant and open society from an early age.
We started the school as part of the project Otvorený Úsmev which was funded by the Active Citizens Fund – Slovakia. Today it is part of the KÓSY KINO project, which project benefits from a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and has been co-financed from the State Budget of the Slovak Republic
