WHAT IS CILECT?


 

CILECT is the association of the world’s major film and television schools. Its goals are to provide a means for the exchange of ideas among member schools, and to help them understand the future of education for creative personnel in film, television, and related media. It is dedicated to the creation, development and maintenance of regional and international co-operation among its member schools, and to the encouragement of film and television training in the developing world.

CILECT has a wider role as well – to assist in the spreading of audio-visual literacy, and to be a key contributor to cultural and communication development. The first article of its statutes pledges the membership to give help and advice to all those who have need of audio-visual media in their professional work, as a tool of education, information, documentation and research.

CILECT— Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision — was founded in Cannes in 1955 with the intention of stimulating a dialogue among film schools in the deeply divided world of those times. Its membership was drawn from eight countries: Britain, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Soviet Union and the United States.

By the late 1990’s, CILECT had grown to include 107 institutions from 51 countries on five continents. A significant number of the world's leading film and television makers are graduates of member schools.

CILECT is deeply committed to raising and  biennium, but the general structure embraces:
Projects
These are research activities chaired by members with specialist interests and expertise, supported by a committee appointed from the membership. The aim is to produce "state of the art" documents relevant to teaching practice and for publication.

Since the introduction of these project-based activities, research has been undertaken into:
Regional activities

CILECT schools in various regions have organised themselves to deal with regional concerns and opportunities. Regional organisations exist in Europe, Latin America, the Asia/Pacific region, North America, and Africa. Activity varies greatly among regions. They may include regional projects, teacher’s meetings, co-productions, masterclasses, and student and faculty exchanges. A major concern of the European regional association, GEECT, is to assist schools in the former socialist bloc as their societies undergo radical change.
Training for Developing Countries (TDC)

For more than a decade, TDC has sought to encourage the development of film and television training in the developing world, that would reflect indigenous culture and concerns, by drawing on the skills and talents of member schools.

TDC has organised short courses in Asia and Africa on topics ranging from screenwriting to documentary production. In collaboration with UNESCO, it has implemented a unique program of South-South production partnerships, and has designed and established a film and television training centre for East Africa at Harare in Zimbabwe. It conducted extensive research on regional needs and organised the first meeting of film and television schools in the Asia-Pacific region in Beijing, which led to the establishment of CAPA, CILECT’s regional association in that area.
Festivals

CILECT helps support several key international student film and video festivals, and collaborates closely with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on the International Student Academy Award. These events are highlights of the students' film and video educational experience. Many of today’s outstanding young film makers had their first works screened at these festivals. The festivals are also attended by representatives from the film and television industries in search of programmes and talent.
Teachers' forums

These meetings are usually organised on a regional basis. They provide an opportunity for teachers to meet and share their practical experience. This is one way in which CILECT supports the constant review and revision of teaching methodology.
International seminars for students
These are organised by CILECT-member schools with the active support of the organisation. Like the teachers' forums, they concentrate upon a single subject, allowing a unique opportunity for a merger between the world of the student and that of the professional film maker.

 
For more information about CILECT contact:

Henry Verhasselt

Executive Secretary

CILECT

Rue Thérésienne, 8

1000 Bruxelles

Belgium

Tel/Fax: +32 (0)2 511 98 39 GMT +1

E-mail: hverh.cilect@skynet.be