Just when we thought the White House was cutting back on screenings, now this: President Obama is sponsoring a film festival at the White House with the American Film Institute. The White House Film Festival will not be like Sundance or Cannes. But on Friday, short films made by K-12 students on the subject of technology in education will be screened. Obama will deliver opening remarks.
The American Film Institute announced today its collaboration with the White House on its first-ever film festival. With President Obama delivering opening remarks on February 28, 2014, the White House Film Festival will be held inside the East Room of the White House where the winning short films created by K-12 students on the subject of technology in education will be screened.
“AFI is proud and honored to support the White House in its celebration of tomorrow’s storytellers, “ said Bob Gazzale, President & CEO of AFI in a press release. “Here they have shown that film and technology will help lead the nation forward – an enduring reminder that movies matter.”
Also from the press release: Last November, the White House announced the first-ever White House Film Festival, a video competition created for K-12 students to create short films on how technology is used in their classroom, the role technology will play in education in the future, and to support learning in key fields such as science, technology, engineering, and math. More than 2,000 videos were submitted and finalists have been invited to the White House for a film festival where they will have their short films screened.
The White House Student Film Festival highlights the Administration’s commitment to getting high-speed Internet connectivity and educational technology into classrooms, and into the hands of teachers trained to take advantage of it. As part of the event, the President will deliver remarks on his ConnectED goal of transforming American education by connecting 99% of students to next-generation broadband and wireless technology within five years.
