SACF Links with Primary Schools to promote Film Culture

In the second half of 2013, SACF liaised with a multicultural school in west London, Westbrook Primary School in Hounslow, Middlesex.

The Deputy Headteacher, Alison Knight was extremely cooperative and took a keen interest in the project idea. She felt it would be a good way to interest children in heritage and familiarise them with their own culture and history. Other staff members specially Carly Benton and Mrs Simpson also became involved.

With their collaboration and support, SACF set up a programme to inculcate interest in film heritage and promote film culture among pupils of Year V and VI of the School. More than 100 children were involved and engaged by:

• Screening two children’s films starring child star from India, Sabu that SACF’s Film Heritage project had located. These were Elephant Boy and Thief of Bagdad.
• Organising two exhibitions mainly highlighting the life and career of the first and only Indian child star of British films, Sabu.
• Working with the School’s staff to encourage the children to respond positively to our film heritage project.

This was a grand success for the children responded by writing film reviews, producing beautiful posters and drawings of the films they had viewed as well as original stories inspired by the films that had been screened for them Some of the best pieces were showcased in SACF’s A Hidden Heritage Exhibition in The Nehru Centre, London in May 2014.

The above findings are part of the research which ensued in the project – A Hidden Heritage: Indo-British Film Collaboration (1930-1951)