The magic of the movies is to be brought to life in spectacular style as Highfields hosts its second Young Wolf Film Festival.
The event, which will run from July 1st to 5th, will feature a packed programme of events to celebrate the talents of budding film directors, news anchors, producers and performers from across the City.
Organisers hope to build on the huge success of last year’s inaugural event, which brought together hundreds of students, staff and members of the public from around Wolverhampton to celebrate the wonderful world of film.
The programme includes:
Monday July 1st: The week-long festival will kick off with ‘Movie Maker Monday’, which will see Highfields welcome dozens of students from City schools for a series of film-based practical workshops. They will work with a professional make-up artist and special effects designer to create their own Hollywood-style injuries before using a green screen, along with digital and sound effects, to make their own short film. The film, which will also be edited by students, will receive its premiere at an awards ceremony later in the week.
Tuesday July 2nd: Day two of the festival will see 60 students experience the wonder of filmmaking first-hand with a trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. The trip, which will act as a rewards trip for members of Highfields Film Club from Years 9 and 10, will give students the chance to see the impact of the British film industry and the vast array of careers it offers.
Wednesday July 3rd: Students will be given the chance to put their knowledge of the big screen to the test by taking part in a lunchtime movie quiz, before staff compete in an after-school quiz.
Thursday July 4th: The talents of budding young filmmakers will be celebrated at the Young Wolf Awards. During this Oscars-style event, awards and prizes will be up for grabs in a range of categories, whilst students’ mini cinematic masterpieces produced throughout the year will be showcased on screen.
Friday July 5th: The festival will be wrapped up in spectacular style as students use Hollywood soundtracks and themes to stage the annual Summer Song and Dance show in front of a live audience. Following live performances of music, drama and dance, visitors will move to an outdoor cinema in the school grounds to watch a screening of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse under the stars.
The Young Wolf Film Festival was first launched by Highfields in 2018 due to the success of the school’s award-winning Film Club.
Due to the increasing popularity of the subject in school, Film Studies was introduced to Year 9 students last year, whilst a GCSE course across Key Stage 4 was launched for the first time this academic year.
Film Studies teacher, Mr D Cooper, said: “We have some incredibly talented students at Highfields who are very enthusiastic about the various elements of the filmmaking process.
“Last year’s festival was a huge success, bringing hundreds of people together to celebrate the wonderful world of movies, whilst providing an excellent platform to celebrate the creativity of students.
“We are delighted to be running the event again, and are hoping to build on the excellent foundations of last year to stage another spectacular week of festivities celebrating all aspects of the film industry and the talents of our students who wish to pursue a career in it."
