Cinemini EDU

How can film become a meaningful part of everyday practice in early childhood education? Cinemini EDU is a European project aimed at educators working with children aged 3–6, with the goal of strengthening their ability to use film and audiovisual media as a creative and inclusive cultural experience. The project combines the selection and testing of European short films with the development of practical teaching resources and training for educators. Samira Jakobi will introduce how Cinemini EDU approaches film not simply as content to be watched, but as a starting point for shared thinking, movement, language, emotions, imagination and cultural participation.

Samira Jakobi is a project leader in the Film Education Department at DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, where she develops and manages projects focused on early childhood film education. She studied Film Studies and International Media and Cultural Work and worked in both TV and film production as well as in cultural projects and film festivals.

At DFF, she leads the projects MiniFilmclub, Cinemini Europe, and KiKi, all of which address children aged 3 to 6 and the educators who support them. Her work focuses on creating strong frameworks for high-quality educational practice and developing environments and methods that enable very young children to engage with film as an art form. She is committed to fostering meaningful encounters with cinema through approaches that meet children at eye level and respect their perspectives and experiences.