Together, we bring the magic world of film to children in hospitals

Film in Hospital is an international project and platform that wants to grant hospitalized children and youth with reduced mobility the experience of a film festival and the access to exclusive quality films and educational content.

Recently, Creative Europe MEDIA approved the implementation of the Film in Hospital project for two more years. By expanding with two new international partners, and focusing on the integration of digital AV tools, Film in Hospital sets its sights higher than ever! From now on Film in Hospital will be available in 8 European countries. All of which is a great way to celebrate International Children’s Day and Global Day of Parents.

NEW FUNDS AND FRESH FACES
Starting from May 2024, the pan-European Film in Hospital project is again supported by European MEDIA funds for two years.
The team* behind the program is happy to announce they are expanding: Schlingel Festival (Germany) and Neaniko Plano (Greece) join the strive to grant children in hospitals and revalidation centers access to exclusive, festival-quality films, educational materials and digital AV tools.

* JEF (Belgium), DSU — Kids meet art (Croatia), Il Nuovo Fantarca (Italy), Kinodvor (Slovenia), Pack Màgic (Spain) and BUFF (Sweden)

THE FILM IN HOSPITAL PLATFORM
The European project Film in Hospital is still dedicated to bringing high-quality contemporary and heritage EU films – accompanied by educational materials, workshops and games – to children and youth at hospitals, revalidation centres and home recovery.
Trusting the power of great films to engage children & youth in dialogues with ideas; developing participatory pedagogical tools to engage them into dialogues of equals; curating a film collection that goes beyond national frames and encourages knowledge of the other; Film in Hospital brings the best practices of Film Literacy and Audience Development to an audience that is excluded from festivals, school or family cinema visits.
Film in Hospital aims to heal with art by nurturing the spirit. Which has been scientifically proven through recently conducted research on methods for engaging young audiences in health-care structures by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milano – Italy), co-designed with Il Nuovo Fantarca – Cinema in Ospedale and other project partners. It has been released as a valuable resource meant to support the recovery of children and youth.

THE FILM IN HOSPITAL GOALS
The main goal of Film in Hospital continues to be: to give ill children in hospitals and revalidation centers access to exclusive quality films and educational content and grant them the experience of an international film festival.

Additionally for the upcoming two years, Film in Hospital wants to reach a coverage of 8 EU territories and lay a technological and business model base for further expansion to evolve to an indispensable service for children’s hospitals.
Following project activities in previous editions and constant development of digital tools, Film in Hospital also decided to focus even more on innovative, collaborating and co-creating areas. Digital tools like Virtual Reality and online games will be adapted and tailored to better meet the needs of children in vulnerable situations and to further enhance audience engagement experience.

THE FILM IN HOSPITAL HISTORY
The initial project started over ten years ago, but was internationally launched in 2017 when DSU, BUFF and JEF created three national platforms dedicated to film screenings and audience engagement for children at hospitals. In 2020, three new partners joined the project: Il Nuovo Fantarca, Pack Màgic, and Kinodvor. Since then, these six national platforms represent a valuable digital distribution of selected quality European Children’s films for young audiences in hospitals with limited access to pleasure and relaxation.

THE FILM IN HOSPITAL LEGACY
In 2023, Italian partner Il Nuovo Fantarca monitored a research with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan about audience engagement. The outcomes and findings will be used in the further development of the project alongside the developed guide — a toolbox of good practices. This will make the film magic even more available to vulnerable children and youth in hospitals and revalidation centres across the EU. Newly made video on best practices and research serves as a motivation for new collaborators, partners and associates, to everyone with whom the Film in Hospital team will bring film magic to everyone in need.

A guide with a wide range of high-quality content, concrete information and practical advice as well as possible results that can help you during your journey with children and young people in hospitals.

With this guide, we want to reach a very wide audience, because everyone can contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people – artists, teachers and educators, medical staff, researchers and policy makers.

It includes a collection of very diverse examples of good practices developed and implemented by the partners of the Film in Hospital international project for children and young people in hospitals.

Implementation of cultural and artistic projects in hospitals is specific. Each day is characterised by particular medical examinations and procedures in different wards. Children’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing can vary from day to day. Sometimes the morning does not match the evening. However, despite specific circumstances, such projects and activities yield extraordinary positive effects in hospitals: for both children and young people, their parents as well as all other employees who take care of health and wellbeing of young patients.

You can read this guide from the beginning to the end or the other way around. You can take a little here and a little there. Make it suitable, up-to-date and relevant for your context.

The guide in English (pdf) »

Photo: Karolina Maruszak (Belgium)