Showing films and other audiovisual content in European schools : executive summary.
Date: 2015-05-11
Institutions: Directorate-General for the Information Society and Media
Subjects: European school, audiovisual document, audiovisual programme, copyright, education policy, film industry, film production, teacher training, teaching curriculum, teaching method

Showing films and other audiovisual contentin European SchoolsDigital Agenda for EuropeA study prepared for the European CommissionDG Communications Networks, Content & Technology by: Executive Summary2This study was carried out for the European Commission by:Authors:UAB Team: José Manuel Pérez Tornero, Juan-Francisco Martínez-Cerdá,  Marta Portalés Oliva, Tomás Durán Becerra, Lidia Peralta García, Albert Julià Cano.Culture & Media Agency Europe aisbl (CUMEDIAE) team: Ignasi Guardans, Rafael Comenge,  Laia Ros,  Ornella Pierobon.EFTT Team: Henning Camre,  Regitze Oppenhejm.IP Team: Guido Westkamp, Katerina Stechova, Mariia Tymofiienko.AEDE Team: Elvira Tocalachis (coord)This report, together with each of its Annexes, is available online at http://bit.ly/1CLdu7IINTERNAL IDENTIFICATIONContract number: EAC-2013-0384 - ARES(2013)3256843SMART number: 2015/0091ISBN: 978-92-79-45353-3DOI: 10.2759/168063© European Union, 2015. All rights reserved. Certain parts are licensed under conditions to the EU. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.DISCLAIMERBy the European Commission, Directorate-General of Communications Networks, Content & Technology. The information and views set out in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reﬂect the oﬃcial opinion of the Commis-sion. The Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study. Neither the Commission nor any person acting on the Commission’s behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.3

Executive Summary

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER 1

The  aim  of  this  study  is  to  provide  the  European  Commission  with 
reliable  data  and  analyses  on  the  educational  use  of  audiovisual 
content in schools, pointing out obstacles and good practices from 
three different aspects: the educational, the legal, and the relationship 
with the film industry.

The study is divided in five main chapters.

The school chapter looks into the use of films and audiovisual content 
in  European  schools  as  determined  by  their  curricula  –  use  of  film 
in  general  and  film  literacy  education;  access  to  relevant  films  and 
other audiovisual content and its costs; teaching methodologies and 
teacher training; physical conditions for film-showing. 

The industry chapter focuses on how films can be made available for 
schools and what obstacles may exist. Examples of applied copyright 
law show how some countries have solved the access problem. This 
section  includes  examples  of  initiatives  and  activities  carried  out 
by  a  diverse  sample  of  public  film  institutions  and  public-private 
stakeholders.

The 
is 
legal  chapter  analyses  how  the  copyright  framework 
implemented  in  the  countries  covered  in  the  report.  This  chapter 
specifically looks into the terms of access to film and other audiovisual 
content for its use in schools. 

The last two chapters summarize obstacles and barriers to effective 
film literacy teaching, followed by policy recommendations.

Use of films and other audiovisual  
content in European Schools
This part of the study presents a detailed analysis on the use of films 
and  other  audiovisual  content  in  schools.  The  analysis  is  primarily 
based  on  6,701  replies  from  teachers  and  schools  resulting  from  a 
comprehensive questionnaire. 

The  analysis  of  the  questionnaire  has  been  combined  with  desk 
and  qualitative  research,  together  with  previous  academic  findings 
regarding  the  educational  use  of  audiovisual  content.  We  can 
summarize  some  of  the  findings  as  follows:  film  literacy  is  not 
generally  considered  to  be  an  autonomous  subject  in  European 
schools; it is most likely to be integrated into other subjects.

Film  literacy  is  taught  in  a  way  to  complement  various  compulsory 
subjects,  and  it  is  only  considered  to  be  a  self-contained  curricular 
subject in a few countries. Across Europe most teachers (62%) have 
indicated  that  the  teaching  of  film  literacy  is  an  “uncommon  and 
sporadic  practice”,  and  only  5%  states  that  it  is  a “widespread  and 
common  practice”.  These  remarkable  percentages  may  easily  be 
interpreted  as  strong  obstacles  to  implementing  film  literacy  in 
schools.  However,  60%  of  teachers  recommend  that  film  literacy 
becomes a compulsory subject. 

The  lack  of  a  solid  public  policy  on  film  literacy  is  perceived  as  an 
important barrier by over 80% of teachers.

Many teachers believe that the cost of access to films represents an 
obstacle for film literacy. 75% of teachers consider that the lack of film 
literacy competences is a “very relevant” or “quite important” barrier. 

Collaboration  with  external  bodies  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the 
key factors to a successful implementation of large-scale film literacy 
initiatives in schools. However, it appears that this collaboration is not 
as common as it could be. 

There  is  a  clear  lack  of  networking  and  structured  exchange  of 
information  and  experience  on  film  literacy  among  teachers:  only 
one in ten teachers acknowledge the existence of any such network, 
local or international. And most teachers have said they are not aware 
of any ‘good practices’. 

According  to  most  teachers  equipment  is  not  the  real  obstacle  to 
film literacy. In fact, school managers deem the level of technological 
infrastructure  in  their  schools  satisfactory.  Only  17%  of  schools  say 

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they are poorly or very poorly equipped.

Most  film  and  audiovisual  content  available  in  schools  is  in  DVD 
format. Specific online platforms for schools are still rare. Free-access 
web platforms such as Vimeo, YouTube, etc. are often mentioned as 
common source for audiovisual content other than cinema. 

CHAPTER 2

The perspective of the Film Industry, Public Film 
Institutions and other stakeholders

No film without Film Industry

There  is  no  film  literacy  without  film  and  audio-visual  content  to 
be  shown. The  very  existence  of  such  content  is  the  result  of  the 
professional  work,  and  the  economic  and  entrepreneurial  effort 
of  what  can  be  collectively  defined  as  the ‘Film  Industry’.  Schools 
and teachers cannot independently assume the task of facilitating 
student access without the stable complicity of those who compose 
such industry, together with the different organisations, public and 
private which work to promote and support cinema. 

The use of films in schools is commonly defined as ‘non-theatrical’ 
by  distributors. This  definition  tends  to  reflect  the  specific  nature 
of this kind of distribution, and it is related to the cost of material 
for educational purposes. Conditions for commercial film sale have 
been firmly established, and they follow certain rather standardised 
practices,  but  there  is  not  a  similar  order  for  handling  ‘non-
commercial’ or ‘non-theatrical’ sales.

The  study  confirms  the  main  industry  players’  active  participation 
in  facilitating  relevant  film  access  for  schools.  We  can  observe  a 
strong  awareness  of  the  importance  of  film  literacy,  as  well  as  an 
acknowledgement of the upcoming role film literacy must play to 
generate interest in European films among young audiences.

Multiple licensing models

According  to  our  survey  of  stakeholders  and  experts,  no  two 
countries  follow  the  same  licensing  guidelines  to  gain  access  to 
audiovisual  material  for  schools.  Major  distributors  may  establish 
their own licensing structures, but as Europe is dominated by small 
production  and  distribution  companies  that  are  unable  to  set  up 
proper  licensing  agreements,  the  role  of  right-holder  associations 
and  collecting agencies has become increasingly important within 
the process of creating a more unified European licensing system. 
Many producers and distributors have therefore delegated complex 
legal agreements to national and European umbrella organisations 

so that films, DVDs and online content can be used for educational 
purposes in schools.

The  main  stakeholders  with  international  experiences  and  wide 
perspectives,  such  as  the  IVF  (“International  Video  Fédération”) 
and  the  FIAPF  (“International  Federation  of  Film  Producers’ 
Associations”) state that the current European legal framework, the 
European  Copyright  Directive  (EUCD),  covers  the  limitations  and 
exceptions  to  the  ordinary  copyright  film  and  audiovisual  regime 
within  the  context  of  education.  The  EUCD  gives  Member  States 
enough flexibility to implement exceptions in the case of illustration 
for  teaching  purposes,  and  to  encourage  licensing  solutions 
negotiated  with  rights  holders.  According  to  both  organisations, 
educational  institutions  requiring  a  broader  use  of  copyright 
protected materials, which are not covered by national exceptions 
can explore licensing alternatives with the relevant rights holders.

Online  platforms  which  are  specifically  set  up  for  school  use  are 
perceived  by  many  industry  players  as  a  highly  recommended 
method,  as  it  can  combine  a  pre-selected  catalogue  intended  for 
school usage with the matching licensing scheme which supports 
supports  the  usage.  Although  such  cases  exist,  it  cannot  yet  be 
considered a generalised scheme in Europe.

Facilitating access out of Schools

Film  experts  and  professionals,  as  well  as  teachers,  underline  the 
importance of screenings out of schools, as this will be the only way 
for many students to experience and learn about film. 

‘School  in  Cinema’  programmes  offer  theatrical  screenings  for 
students  in  commercial  cinemas;  film  clubs  organise  screening 
programmes in and out of school, which are supported by public 
film  bodies  and  distributors;  film  festivals  may  include  a  specific 
educational  dimension  and  complement  their  main  activities; 
“itinerant  festivals”  secure  access  to  movies  that  would  not  be 
available  otherwise;  and  finally  film  archives  and  cinematheques 
also play an important role, though mainly for schools in proximity 
of  their  location.  Such  a  diversity  of  options  requires  structured 
collaboration  between  schools  and  external  parties:  film 
distributors,  theatres,  and  indeed,  dedicated  institutions  of  public 
or private nature.

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As  far  as  screening  of  films  in  schools  is  concerned,  there  are 
differences between Member States on the one hand related to the 
rights  affected  by  such  use,  and  on  the  other  to  the  acts  allowed 
under the teaching exception. A screening in a classroom is generally 
considered  to  be  a  public  performance  (in  which  case  copyright  is 
affected),  but  another  interpretation  draws  a  parallel  with  private 
screenings to which no restrictions under copyright law apply.

A small number of Member States maintains limitations for teaching 
purposes,  which  are  so  restrictive  that  in  fact  they  cannot  cover 
any of the film screening activities analysed in our report. Teaching 
exceptions  in  these  countries  generally  only  allow  certain  acts  of 
copying. Accordingly, every use of a film requires authorisation and 
a license must be obtained. A second group permits the screening of 
films in the classroom, and therefore in those countries the exception 
also  applies  to  the  right  of  public  performance.  A  third  group  has 
added  further  uses  under  the  teaching  exception,  following  the 
implementation of the EUCD. In this case the exception also applies 
to the right of communication to the public and particularly includes, 
online use via an intranet.

The  report  examines  and  comments  on  the  different  existing 
models,  each  of  them  showing  potential  sub-sections  depending 
on the country: a) free screening of films in a classroom b) statutory 
licensing requiring payment of compensation or remuneration, and 
c) framework agreements based on voluntary collective licenses and 
managed by collecting societies. In addition, direct licensing contracts 
between  schools  and  platform  operators,  based  on  technological 
protection measures, are generally available and in those cases the 
teaching exception is hardly relevant.

CHAPTER 3

The legal framework

The copyright directive and international treaties

The legal tool under which European schools are allowed use audio-
visual content and films is – as far as the remit of this report project is 
concerned– the “Directive on Certain Aspects of Copyright and Related 
Rights in the Information Society” (Directive 2001/29/EC), hereinafter 
referred  to  as “EUCD”. The  EUCD  has  already  been  implemented  in 
the copyright laws of all Member States. The Directive establishes a 
harmonized formulation as regards three economic rights protected 
by copyright: the reproduction right, the communication to the public 
right and the distribution right. In a specific provision, it grants legal 
protection to technological protection measures applied to works and 
other  subject  matter,  against  both  acts  of  individual  circumvention 
and  commercial  dealings  in  circumvention  devices.  Essentially,  the 
rights established by the Directive are mandatory under international 
copyright  convention  law  and  follow  similar  (though  not  identical) 
provisions  under  international  multilateral  legal  instruments.  The 
EUCD foresees that Member States may introduce or maintain a range 
of limitations or exceptions to the exclusive rights. Limitations to the 
reproduction right, and limitations to the rights of reproduction and 
communication  to  the  public  right  are  generally  not  mandatory: 
they  may  or  may  not  be  established  by  Member  States.  Moreover, 
the  EUCD  provisions  as  regards  limitations  and  exceptions  are 
understood as a “maximum”: that is, Member States cannot introduce 
more exceptions or more extensive exceptions or limitations. At the 
same time, any limitations to the rights the Directive recognizes must 
sit the so called “three step test”: limitations must be (a) for certain 
special cases, (b) where there is no conflict with a normal exploitation 
and (c) as far as they do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate 
interests of the right holder.

Teaching limitation to copyright

The  EUCD  includes  an  exception  which  allows  the  use  of  works  for 
the purpose of illustration for teaching, which covers, under certain 
conditions,  the  use  of  films  in  schools.  This  teaching  limitation 
may,  therefore,  cover  certain  uses  of  audio-visual  works  and  films 
in  schools.    Our  study  analyses  this  complex  legal  framework  in 
depth, and the specific way it has been implemented in the different 
countries  (EU  Member  States  and  Norway)  covered  in  the  analysis. 
Non EU States such as Switzerland are not bound by the EUCD, but 
applicable international treaties lead to very similar results. 

Economic and legal conditions

The  availability  of  film  and  other  audiovisual  resources  is  an 
important  constraint  for  teaching  film  literacy.  63%  of  teachers 
report  the  use  of  ‘own  material’.  This  indicates  that  the  schools 
lack  a  regular  agreement  for  film  provision. Teachers  consider  the 
purchasing  cost  of  films  an  obstacle  and  are  often  not  aware  of 
license agreements that their schools may have included.

Schools, teachers and right owners are not the right partners with 
whom to negotiate license agreements.

Framework agreements which cover the use of films for all schools 
in  a  country  or  a  constituency  are  best  established  between  the 
public school authorities and right owner organisations (collective 
management organisations). Wider access to relevant material will 
remain an obstacle until the responsibility is removed from schools 
and teachers and passed on to the relevant central bodies.

Lack of communication and understanding between schools and 
rights-holders 

There  is  an  important  distance  and  communication  problem, 
between schools and rights holders. Teachers generally do not pay 
attention  to  copyright  or  licensing  issues  behind  their  screenings 
at  school;  they  are  not  usually  familiar  with  licensing  agreements 
available to them or that are present even in their schools. At the 
same time, the film industry does not have the educational use of 
films among its priorities.

6

CHAPTER 4

Obstacles

Different kinds of obstacles

Obstacles  which  prevent  film  literacy  from  being  implemented 
in  schools  comprise  general  educational  policies,  pedagogical 
and  cultural  aspects,  and  the  economic,  legal,  technological  and 
practical conditions under which schools operate.

Curricular and pedagogical restrictions

Film  literacy  is  generally  not  recognised  as  being  equivalent  to 
spoken and written language. Film literacy is therefore not usually 
recognised in national curricula across Europe.

As a consequence film literacy only has a minor feature in teaching 
syllabi. 

In  addition,  teachers  lack  autonomy,  which  makes  it  difficult  for 
them  to  decide  how  to  introduce  film  literacy  in  their  lessons. 
Adequate teacher training is not prioritised, as it should be; access 
to  relevant  films  and  other  audiovisual  material  depends  on  the 
demands  of  individual  schools,  which  also  applies  to  appropriate 
infrastructure for teaching film literacy.

With  no  mandatory  requirement  for  teaching  film  literacy,  film 
literacy  as  a  self-contained  subject  is  still  poorly  developed.  Film 
and  other  audiovisual  material  is  widely  used  to  support  other 
key  subjects,  but  is  rarely  the  main  source  of  independent  study. 
A cultural barrier can be observed between traditional literacy and 
film/media  literacy  –  teachers  are  not  familiar  with  a  pedagogical 
approach to the use of audiovisual material due to lack of training, 
and  may  refrain  from  a  confrontation  with  film  and  computer 
informed students. 

Practical restrictions in schools

Appropriate infrastructure for film screenings are an obstacle in many 
countries. Screening rooms which emulate the cinema experience 
are scarce. A lack of high-speed internet connections prevents the 
use of diverse and valuable content of films and programmes which 
are often available online for free. Links to dedicated platforms are 
likewise prevented without broadband access.

The  conditions  of  the  traditional  classroom  are  not  ideal  for 
displaying  images  and  sound;  investment  in  improving  these 
conditions will, for many schools, be a major problem.

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The EC should consider acquiring screening licenses for a selection of 
European films to be made available for all schools on one or several 
online  platforms.  A  catalogue  of  50-100  films  would  generously 
contribute to the spreading of European culture – and as an added 
value there would be an increased interest in viewing new European 
films. All films should be contemporary and available in their original 
languages,  with  the  option  of  subtitles  in  national  languages.  Film 
literacy  experts  from  each  country  could  select  exemplary  films, 
bearing in mind each of their young target audiences.

Preferable infrastructure for creative classrooms

The EC should recommend the establishment of ‘Creative Classrooms’, 
whose  facilities  are  suitable  for  the  exhibition,  creation,  discussion 
and study of any type of media or online resource. In this context, it 
is important to promote the use of specific spaces for film screening 
(auditoriums  or  wall-projections  in  blacked-out  rooms  with  proper 
sound  will  increase  concentration  and  learning  quality).  The  EC 
should  encourage  Member  States  to  secure  proper  access  to  high-
speed  internet,  allowing  internet  connection  in  classrooms  and  in 
common facilities.

CHAPTER 5

Recommendations

Recommendations  for  improving  film  literacy  in  schools  are 
based  on  overcoming  identified  obstacles  to  obtain  an  effective 
implementation of film literacy, and the FilmEd study in general.

Public film literacy policy

The  EC  should  encourage  Member  States  to  acknowledge  Film 
Literacy as a compulsory subject in school curricula, either as a self-
contained subject or a clearly defined subset to media literacy skills. 
This  would  include  producing  resources  to  establish  pedagogical 
parametres,  and  an  appropriate  physical  and  technological 
environment.

Film literacy promotion

The  EC  and  Member  States  should  actively  spread  awareness 
among  teachers  and  schools  on  the  impact  of  audiovisual  media 
on children and young people, and on the importance of acquiring 
critical and creative competences through effective and competent 
film and media literacy teaching. The EC should boost campaigns 
for teachers and parents addressing the need for a cultural shift as 
regards the impact of image-based content on young people, who 
require complex, meaningful and qualified studies.

Lifelong training for teachers

The  EC  should  recommend  that  all  Member  States  implement 
media  and  film  education  programmes  in  teachers’  colleges  and 
universities at Masters level.

In  addition,  the  EC  should  also  recommend  the  promotion 
of  permanent  courses  for  teachers  in  order  to  make  teachers 
confident, competent and skilled users of media, information and 
communication technologies.

Online educational platforms

The  EC  should  recommend  that  access  to  relevant  films  and  other 
audiovisual material is regulated by framework agreements between 
central  school  authorities  and  appropriate  organisations  who 
represent  right  holders,  and  thus  remove  obstacles  encountered  in 
many schools.

The EC should promote European educational VOD/SVOD platforms 
push  their  availability  to  schools.  Such  platforms  should  aim  at 
increasing  the  volume  of  films  and  other  audio-visual  content  for 
teaching  purposes;  give  access  to  non-national  European  films;  and 
contribute to European cultural diversity and world cinema awareness.

8European CommissionShowing films and other audio-visual content in European Schools - Obstacles and best practices.Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union.2015 – 9 pages ISBN: 978-92-79-45353-3DOI: 10.2759/168063KK-04-15-044-EN-NISBN: 978-92-79-45353-3DOI: 10.2759/168063