What if a high school mathematician explained the mystery of equations and the magic of solving them with the help of a movie? If a screening of The Wonderful Man, a biographical work of fiction in which Russell Crowe plays the American mathematician and economist John Nash, could captivate the class enough to make the lesson flow like water?

The news is that CINEDU, a digital cinema platform for schools (www.cinedu-gfc.gr) from Greek Cinema Center (EKK)started his work. It may not be in full development yet – it’s in its early stages and being tested in some schools – it may contain trial films at the moment, but the project has become a reality and is growing fast.

“CINEDU is not a movie theater” points to “K” YKK CEO, Athena Kartalou. “However, this is an integrated educational program that can bring cinema into the classroom, proving that it can accompany the curriculum of all three levels of schooling, from elementary to high school. Thus, cinema becomes, on the one hand, an alternative way of learning, and on the other hand, it raises awareness, inspires and – why not? encourages students to take action and be creative.

To this end, the dedicated film streaming platform for schools will for the first time offer a complete educational program with free access for teachers and students of primary and secondary schools to a list of at least 92 contemporary films of Greek, European and international production. , short and full-length, documentary and animated films.

These films will be accompanied by similar original teaching material specially designed for use in the classroom in the context of teaching a specific subject. Teachers and professors will be able to choose any movie they want to show in their class and use the special material to transform new Greek, math, physics or chemistry into an audiovisual experience.

The platform will be constantly updated with new films to watch and study in elementary, middle and high school courses, and once teachers and students register, there will be ongoing technical support in the form of a help desk. Films intended for younger audiences will be dubbed to ensure equal access.

The project is co-financed by Greece and the European Union through the NSRF and the eligible costs are approximately €1.4 million. The selection of films, the formation of accompanying reference material, and the training of filmmakers who will take it upon themselves to introduce teachers and professors to the new environment were entrusted to four “contractors” with experience in linking cinema with education. About a third of the films and related materials will be uploaded in the second semester of this school year, Ms. Kartalou told us, and the platform will be completed by the new school year.