“The Cinematheque is one of the hidden educational gems in Vancouver. I have been working with them for over ten years and they have proven to be a highlight of the year for myself and my students.” Film Studies Teacher (Lord Byng Secondary, Vancouver)
The Cinematheque offers opportunities for learners of all ages to deepen their understanding of film culture. Since 1995, we have offered school programs and day camps in filmmaking and film appreciation to children and youth. We take a hands-on, active approach to film education, and students in our programs have creative freedom to use cinema as a tool of self-discovery and exploration. We also deliver outreach programs for the general public, including interactive lectures and filmmaking workshops. Additionally, we offer professional development opportunities and resources for educators looking for accessible ways to incorporate filmmaking and media literacy projects in the classroom. We value diversity and inclusion in our outreach work, and we believe that everyone should have access to filmmaking as a means of self-expression. Bringing more than 25 years of experience to our practice, our team of knowledgeable filmmakers and educators offer programs in Metro Vancouver and throughout British Columbia.
See the programs below for more information, or contact us at learn@thecinematheque.ca for additional inquiries.
We offer a variety of spring break and summer programs including our flagship program Cinelab, and two programs provided in partnership with UBC Camps. The Cinematheque’s monthly Film Club series also provides opportunities for youth to watch family-friendly programming—and maybe see their films on the big screen!
The Cinematheque offers workshops in filmmaking, film studies, and media literacy to students of all ages. Our Learning & Outreach team travels to schools to teach skills in narrative, documentary, or stop-motion filmmaking. We also host field trips where students can delve into topics related to media and society, followed by a relevant screening in our state-of-the-art theatre venue.
Don’t worry—kids don’t get all the fun! We host occasional evening and weekend filmmaking programs for busy adults, as well as our regular “Deep Focus” events, which explore Cinematheque programming through interactive lectures with film experts. See a list of recent events.
The Cinematheque has once again teamed up with the Small File Media Festival to offer this free workshop on making films with tiny carbon footprints and huge creative impact.
30 Years of Learning & Outreach (November 2026)
Cinelab (July 2025)
UBC Summer Filmmaking Camps (March 2025)
Filmmaking Workshop for Youth (February 2025)
This free course guide is a supportive resource for teachers looking to incorporate media education into their classrooms.
A free online resource for artists aged 13–18 interested in making projects focused on 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, issues, and themes. Created by The Cinematheque in partnership with Out In Schools.
This tutorial covers the basic steps involved in editing a simple video, from importing footage to arranging your timeline to exporting. Premiere Pro editing software is available with a paid Adobe subscription, or free with your library card through the Vancouver Public Library and other libraries in the Lower Mainland.
An all-ages guide to the free Stop Motion Studio app for Android and iPhone. This tutorial includes instructions for setting frame rate, exposure, camera timer, and more. The Stop Motion Studio app offers an excellent introduction to the principles of filmmaking, no video editing software or computer required!
Lief (she/ her) manages on and off-site learning programs for The Cinematheque. Lief holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelors of Media Arts in Animation from Emily Carr University. Lief previously helped run the education program at VIVO Media Arts Centre, taught Media Arts for children and youth at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, and worked as an instructor in Music and Sound at Simon Fraser University. As an interdisciplinary artist and researcher Lief’s work explores ways that media informs mythmaking and identity in contemporary culture.
Sam’s (he/him) love of writing, producing, and pre-production has helped him produce hundreds of student films since he began working at The Cinematheque in 2020. When he’s not in the office, you can find him watching more movies than is healthy and collaborating with dancers and musicians as the projection designer and videographer for the Clala Project arts collective. It's his hope that he can pass on his interdisciplinary awareness to the emerging filmmakers he teaches.