FILM SCREENINGS AND DEBATES FOR STUDENTS DURING LOCKDOWN

One of the major challenges for our educational program was the incorporation of the film through online platforms. Right after the prevention measures were adopted due to pandemic, our education department started working on the development of an online platform that would facilitate teachers and students easier access to films, didactic materials and worksheets for students. Throughout this period we organized regular film screening sessions in schools utilizing films produced through DokuFest Documentary Film Production Center. All of these films were produced primarily by young filmmakers from Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jeta Rexha, who lectures Psychology in ‘Hajdar Dushi’ high school organizes weekly ‘Karl Popper Debates’ format that focuses on relevant and often deeply divisive propositions, emphasizing the development of critical thinking skills, and tolerance for differing viewpoints. Each week, a team of three students from XII grade debated the team of three students from XI grade by offering arguments and direct questions to the opposing team. The DokuFest team is regularly invited to offer constructive feedback, commenting on logical flaws, insufficient evidence, or arguments that debaters may have overlooked. During April, through this approach, we screened films ‘Kosovatrans’ a short film about an 18-year-old female transgender in Kosovo and her journey, struggles, and transformation. The debate for this film focused on the acceptance and human rights of the LGBT community in Kosovo. In the second week, we used the film ‘MAN’ while a very vibrant discussion focused on gender stereotyping and the risks of having gender-specific jobs. The film screening of “Under the Veil’ focused on early marriages, while screening of the film ‘Ergys’ ignited the discussion on the importance of economic aspect for happiness. All of these discussions were carefully aligned with the Curricular Framework and lesson plan of ms. Rexha. The activities included collaboration with Sociology and Psychology teacher of High School ‘Ulpiana’ in Lipjan as well where series of screenings for a number of classes included films as ‘Our New President’ which focused on the influence of new media in opinion-shaping and bias reporting. During the Psychology class of ms. Feride Thaçi, students were asked to discuss the topic of the film in a local context, specifically focusing on false reporting, fake news, and ghost journalism. The Sociology class of ms. Jehona Luma screened the film ‘Under the Veil’ to several classes followed by a series of discussions on early marriages and family values. The majority of the screenings will take place in May, as a support mechanism for teachers that have interconnected film screenings into their curricular program by using didactic materials developed earlier for all of the films on the online platform of DokuFest. This grant is supported by the ‘Civil Society programme for Albania and Kosovo’, financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) in partnership with Partners Albania for Change and Development (PA)