Your film selection depends on the age group of the participants and the purpose of the film-education programme. You can choose between films of different genres, short or feature films, subtitled or dubbed. Be mindful of your budget, as there is usually a copyright or screening fee involved.

When choosing the right film, make sure you have the necessary copyright permissions and that it’s appropriate for your workshop’s age category.

Copyright can be obtained through local or international film distributors, national film institutions, educational organisations, or sales agents. An important part of copyright is also negotiating the licensing (one-time or recurring) and the amount of fees depending on the type of screening and audience. This can be a share of ticket revenues or a flat fee. Special educational licenses are usually cheaper than a standard cinema license. A lot of things are negotiable.

Educational institutions and licenses
In schools, universities, museums, libraries and other educational institutions, closed, non-ticketed screenings for educational purposes can take place without requesting a license only if the film is legally sourced (this could be a DVD, Blu-Ray, an online platforms such as those listed above etc.). For more information, see the section how can I legally screen films?

Cooperation between cinema (or other public screening venue) and distributor
There are several ways to secure the copyright for a film screening. The first step is to find out who the distributor of the selected film is. Then you can follow these steps:

1. Contact distributors and producers
   ● Local distributors: Start by contacting distributors in your country who may have rights to the film.
   ● International distributors: If the film is from another country, search for a distributor through festival catalogues (e.g. Cannes, Berlinale, Clermont-Ferrand).
   ● National Film Institutions: Many countries have national film archives or institutes (e.g. British Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, French CNC) that provide access to films for a nominal fee or free of charge for non-commercial purposes.
   
2. Buy rights through sales agents
   ● If you’re looking for films on an international level, reach out to sales agents. They represent films at festivals and often have direct access to the rights.
   
   Well-known agencies include:
   – Wild Bunch (Europe, world market)
   – Films Boutique (independent films)
   – The Match Factory (European art films)
   
3. License and terms
   ● License type: Clarify in advance whether it is a one-off screening or repeated use (e.g. a series of workshops)
   ● Fees: Screening rights fees may vary depending on the length of the film, the purpose of the screening (commercial/non-commercial) and the size of the audience.
   
4. Final provisions
   ● Make sure a license agreement is signed once you’ve reached an agreement with the distributor or producer.
   ● Double-check properties (format, language versions, subtitles) and ensure they are available in good time before the screening.
   ● Keep all contracts and payment documents in case of a copyright review.