Use screen time pointedly to educate kids about diverse cultures, different families, says Montreal organization
In the era of debate over whether screen time is bad for children, one Montreal organization is actually encouraging them to watch more films.
Why?
Montreal International Children's Film Festival (FIFEM) Founder Jo-Anne Blouin says it's one of the easiest ways to expose children to different cultures and open their eyes to how diverse the world truly is.
"The goal is to show kids a panorama of the best of what's being done around the world, but also open a window on the world to show them how other cultures live, how the kids live, how they deal with their problems," she said. "When you have an eight-year-old in front of a big screen, and you see a kid his age in another country, but he has the same problem. He feels that, OK, I'm not alone in the world."
FIFEM, which works with schools across Montreal, also holds an annual film festival during spring break in which a children's jury is invited to vote on the movie that touched them the most.
Blouin points out that a kid's world can be quite small if their parents don't help them expand it.
"When you're a kid, your social network is your parents, your teacher, your coach," she said. "If we know how people live, then it's easier to understand each other and accept each other."
Blouin recalls showing a group of children a film from Africa.
At one point, an older man rests in a hammock with his bare feet hanging over the side after having walked around.
"When the kids saw his feet, that were dusty, they started laughing, I was like OK, it's the different, simple details like this [that make a difference]," she said.
Films are not only a visual medium; Blouin says they are one of the easiest ways to show and tell a story.
She points out that at the 2024 edition of the Montreal International Children's Film Festival, they showed the children a movie depicting members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.
"I think that it's important to show them different cultures as young as possible," she said. "Teachers love cinema because they can use it in geography, in history classes, in French classes. They can use it in many forms, so that's why I think that cinema is easier to reach out to kids at any age."
She points out it's up to parents to participate in their children's lives and continue the conversation at home.
"They can discuss what they've seen together," Blouin said. It's a shared experience, and that's why it's important. It's different from being alone with your tablet or your iPhone in your room alone, not talking to anybody."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6953874.1720232402!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Protesters smash windows at McGill University; police use tear gas to disperse crowd
Montreal police deployed tear gas as they dispersed a crowd of protesters participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration after members of the group smashed windows at McGill University Friday evening.
Biden rejects independent medical evaluation in ABC interview as he fights to stay in race
U.S. President Joe Biden, fighting to save his endangered reelection effort, used a highly anticipated TV interview Friday to repeatedly reject taking an independent medical evaluation that would show voters he is up for serving another term in office while blaming his disastrous debate performance on a 'bad episode' and saying there were 'no indications of any serious condition.'
Canada beat Venezuela on penalties to reach Copa America semifinals
Canada claimed a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Venezuela on Friday to reach the Copa America semifinals for the first time after an absorbing contest finished 1-1.
Owe money for CERB? Here's how the CRA is getting it back
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) may face some hurdles in collecting the money loaned through COVID-19 pandemic relief programs, like the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), according to a tax lawyer.
Stay away from hogweed: What you need to know about these pesky and dangerous plants
Hogweed is harmful to humans and, experts say, the invasive species has become a growing problem in southern Ontario.
N.B. man denied flight due to tear in passport’s seam
What seemed to be a minor passport issue turned into a major problem for a New Brunswick man who was denied a boarding pass from Air Canada.
Earth's core has slowed so much it's moving backward, scientists confirm. Here's what it could mean
Deep inside Earth is a solid metal ball that rotates independently of our spinning planet, like a top whirling around inside a bigger top, shrouded in mystery.
Summer jobs could prove tough to come by for students, according to latest job stats
Statistics Canada’s latest jobs report shows youth unemployment reached a near decade high.
Ottawa woman, 49, wins $70 million, plans to help community
An Ottawa woman, who has survived cancer and has overcome addiction, has won $70 million with Lotto Max.