A few days ago, a wave of moral panic arose in the Greek electronic and print media over the screening of a film that won an award at an international children’s film festival in a school in Athens (“shower boys”, Christian Zetterberg, 2021, Sweden, 9′).

There is no point in arguing about whether the film was pornwhat is said directly or indirectly in television programs and various publications – if these reporters saw the film before making a judgment, they would know that this is not so.

But it makes sense to talk about the substance, especially on her behalf European Children’s Film Union (ECFA), a body that collectively represents the community of all those involved in connecting cinema to childhood and education in Europe.

ECFA has 163 members in 42 countries: film festivals, film education institutions, film producers and distributors, national film centers, etc.

Most of these bodies work closely with formal education throughout Europe.

● The selected film should cover the main generally accepted principles of our society, such as tolerance, non-violence, self-development, solidarity, etc.
● The film chosen must respect the views of children and tell the story in a way that children can understand and understand.
● The film chosen must promote emancipatory feelings, promote diversity and inclusion, and respect equality.
● Professionalism in film production can be seen as a sign of respect for the young viewer.

These ECFA principles are, of course, progressive, and surely some will recoil in disgust after reading them.

They also correspond to what the Greek legal order imposes, including the general international provisions on which our world today lives – the Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Convention on the Exercise of the Rights of the Child. Child and others

So, if one asks the Greek public about the incident that unfortunately unfolded last week in the Greek (so far) public sphere, it is as follows: Who is the advocate for children’s rights?

And finally, if we do not allow teachers to guide them safely and in preparation for the meaningful exercise of their rights, what is the role of the school in modern society?

In our opinion, the creators of cinematography, like any other art, have the right to self-expression, and the duty of our society is to form the paths along which art will reach, without exception, all its members and children. .

The intensity of the reaction of some ultra-conservative voices to nine minute short film who speaks soberly and soberly about how easily these voices can be neutralized with their attitude, clearly shows the power of film media and gives us the strength to continue our activities unscathed.