The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources: New at Journeys in Film
We are excited to announce The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources — new at Journeys in Film!
In The Fast Runner, a young Polish girl comes of age in 1938 during the rise of the Nazi party and subsequently the Holocaust. She is challenged by the compassion shown by her Rabbi toward their oppressors. When the Rabbi’s life is later on the line, she faces a critical test of her beliefs.
“This is not just a film — it’s a call to remember, to feel, and to care. Created with over 200 volunteers, powered entirely by donations, and crafted using 35mm film and period-correct lenses to immerse the viewer in its time, The Fast Runner is a labor of love, remembrance, and compassion.”
– David Bercovici-Artieda
Director, Producer, and Cinematographer, The Fast Runner
What Resources Are Available For This Film
Our new The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources include two distinct teaching tools to make it easy to teach with this film in a wide range of contexts: a Community Discussion Guide and a Learning Guide.
The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources: Community Discussion Guide
In The Fast Runner Community Discussion Guide, you’ll find questions to engage students and foster productive discussions as well as resources for additional learning and expanded learning activities. It are flexible and adaptable to a wide variety of learning environments. It is also an easy-to-use resource for substitute teachers.
The Community Discussion Guide explores these guiding questions:
How can the Holocaust remind us that oppression and genocide are not a single event, but a long-term process involving political, legal, and social shifts that slowly dehumanize targeted groups?
How does learning about the Holocaust challenge us to think about our actions, prejudices, and the importance of standing up against injustice?
This Community Discussion Guide also includes: an introduction to the film, an overview of the historical context of the Holocaust, and a Glossary of Useful Terms,
The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources: Learning Guide
The Fast Runner Learning Guide is designed to work in a variety of settings including classroom and higher education use, community education, and solo learning.
The Learning Guide includes driving questions for each section (these are great for project-based learning), discussion questions, useful terms and extension activities. It also includes a printable Timeline of the Holocaust handout.
The Learning Guide features sections on:
Impact of the Holocaust on Jewish Communities
Cross-Media to Enhance Understanding of the Holocaust
Why Teach with The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources
The Fast Runner explores how the Holocaust was not just a historical event, but a deep human tragedy shaped by individual choices, moral complexities, and acts of quiet resistance. It helps viewers connect personally to the tragedy of the Holocaust and the dehumanizing impact of hatred and oppression. The film encourages empathy, reminding us that behind every statistic is a human being with dreams, talents, a story, and the right to live freely with dignity.
Who Should Teach with The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources
These resources are are adaptable for Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12, as well as college and adult learning communities. They are also great for community education and public screenings, such as after school clubs and film societies.
What Classes can I Teach The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources In
These resources may be useful for classes in Civics, Community Service Learning, English Language Arts, European History, Film Literacy History, Holocaust Education, Language Arts, Law, Media Literacy, Social Studies, World History, and World War II History.
What Themes Do The Fast Runner Holocaust Education ResourcesExplore
These resources are great for teaching about Bystanders and Upstanders, Dehumanization and Extremism, Human Rights, Media Literacy, Resistance and Action, and the Role of Propaganda in the Holocaust.
Tell Me More About The Film
At its core, The Fast Runner tells a deeply Jewish story — a story of resilience, identity, and moral struggle in the face of unprecedented persecution. Through the experience of the film’s protagonist Frida, the film explores how the Jewish community, as the Nazis’ primary target for complete extermination, navigated dehumanization and impossible moral choices during the Holocaust.
The Fast Runner illustrates the different stages of the Holocaust. It begins by portraying the richness of pre-war Jewish life in Poland. It then transitions to the period of ghettoization, when Jewish Poles were forcibly segregated, isolated, and confined to precarious conditions. Finally, the film confronts viewers with deportations — the systematic transportation of Jewish people from towns and cities to ghettos, labor camps, and extermination camps. Through Frida’s story, The Fast Runnerinvites audiences to witness not only the horrors of the Holocaust but also the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of oppression.
What Ages Is This Film For
The Fast Runner is not rated. We recommend it for ages 13 and up.
How Long is This Film
The Fast Runner is just 15 minutes long. It’s easy to teach with in classes!
Where Can I Get the The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources
Get your free copy of the The Fast Runner Holocaust Education Resources (Community Discussion Guide and Learning Guide) from The Fast Runner film page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library and learn more about teaching with this compelling short film.
Where Can I Watch The Film
Get the latest information on where to watch from The Fast Runner film page.
Can I Do Professional Development Related to this Film
Check out our Teacher Toolbox to make teaching with film fun, easy and effective.
How Can I Share Feedback
If you are teaching with this film, we would love to hear how it works for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.
Resisterhood Learning Guide: New at Journeys in Film!
We’re pleased to introduce the Resisterhood Learning Guide, new at Journeys in Film!
Resisterhood is a testament to the strength of ordinary Americans in our extraordinary times. The award-winning documentary follows six diverse Americans as they fight for social justice on the streets and in the halls of power. Over the course of two years, we watch a Muslim immigrant (Mimi Hassanein), an octogenarian Black civil rights marcher (Margaret Morrison), the great-granddaughter of a Suffragist (Dr. Jean Gearon), a Puerto Rican power couple (Luis and Soraida Gutierrez), and an LGBTQ activist (Joanna Lohman) work to protect our rights and inspire others to get involved in civic participation.
What Resources Are Available For This Film
Journeys in Film offers a Resisterhood Learning Guide, designed to work in a variety of settings including classroom and higher education use, community education, and solo learning.
The Learning Guide has discussion questions, useful terms and extension activities. It includes a letter from the filmmaker, a timeline of select political events, and additional resources. There is also a section on effective advocacy, and a printable Personal Civic Action Plan worksheet.
Why Teach With the The Resisterhood Learning Guide
This is an important film and resource for teaching about participation in democracy at every level.
The film is filled with rich examples of individuals motivated to take civic action: marching, organizing, public speaking and running for office.
This film and film guide provide opportunities and resources for learning about several marginalized communities: African-Americans, Immigrants, Latino-Americans, LGBTQIA+, Muslims in the US, and Women.
Together, the film and learning guide are powerful tools to start important conversations around voting, activism, and political engagement.
Who Should Teach with Resisterhood
These resources are best for Grades 10-12, college and adult learning communities. They are also great for community education and public screenings, such as after school clubs, film societies, history and gender studies honor societies, offices of civic engagement, political action clubs, student groups, and voter registration programs.
What Classes does the Resisterhood Learning Guide Work For
The Resisterhood Learning Guide is suitable for classes that cover Civics, Current Events, Community Service Learning, English Language Arts, Gender Studies, Government, History, Political Science, Service Learning, Social Studies, US History and Women’s Studies.
The Resisterhood Learning Guide for Civics Teachers
Use the Resisterhood Learning Guide to teach about civic engagement and participation, current events, grassroots activism, government, running for office and more.
The Resisterhood Learning Guide for History Teachers
Use the Resisterhood Learning Guideto teach about Black History, Women’s History, the Equal Rights Amendment, and US Modern History — particularly 2016-2018.
What Themes Does the Resisterhood Learning Guide Explore
This film is great for teaching about Human Rights, Antisemitism, Gender Equity, Islamophobia, and Racial Equity — and above all, about the power and importance of civic participation.
Tell Me More About The Film
The story of the aftermath of the 2016 presidential elections will be told for years to come. Resisterhood presents a vivid picture of this unusual period in American history.
This powerful documentary captures the stories of everyday Americans who became grassroots activists working tirelessly to defend democracy and stop the erosion of civil rights. Resisterhood showcases the wave that brought the US the most ethnically, racially and gender diverse Congress in history. It shares stories of hope that will re-energize and inspire even more people to join the fight to secure a bright future for democracy.
Resisterhood is also a love letter to civic participation. It champions those standing up for our democracy. It inspires viewers to get involved. And it reminds us that we have the power to create the country we want — we just need to use it.
What Ages Is This Film For
Resisterhood is not rated. We recommend it for ages 14 and up.
Where Can I Get the Resisterhood Learning Guide
Get your free copy of the Resisterhood Learning Guide from the Resisterhood film page in the Journeys in Film Resource Library and learn more about teaching with this powerful film.
Where Can I Watch The Film
Get the latest information on where to watch from the Resisterhood film page.
You can get more suggestions for related resources on our Resisterhood film page.
What if I’m New to Teaching With Film
Check out our Teacher Toolbox to make teaching with film fun, easy and effective.
How Can I Share Feedback
If you are teaching with this film, we would love to hear how it works for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.
Homeschoolers, try a new approach to learning: teach with film for homeschooling. If you are looking for ways to spice up your homeschool curriculum and boost engagement for your learners, film-based lessons are a great option. Whether you’re looking for film guides, free homeschooling lesson plans, or fun learning activities, we’ve got you covered.
Film can abe a powerful tool for learning about life. Students explore and understand other cultures, and feel empathy for people whose lives are different from their own. Film can also help kids see the real-life applications of what they’re learning. All around it’s a great way to broaden your students’ perspectives.
Journeys in Film has created a series of film-based lesson plans that follow the national Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel) standards system and Common Core Standards.
Subject areas covered in the Journeys in Film guides include:
Language Arts
Math
Media Literacy
Social Studies
Science
Visual Arts
Our resources are also designed to help teach Critical Thinking, Cross-Cultural Understanding, and Social-Emotional Learning. These resources helps make learning fun and allows your children to explore other cultures — without even leaving home.
A growing number of our film guides also include suggestions for film-book pairings. These literary connections turn teaching with film into a cross-media experience and can be a great way to get reluctant readers excited about books.
The most important part of teaching with film is the follow-up analysis and discussion. Journeys in Film curriculum guides can help you delve deeply into the films to discover all of the ways in which information is being conveyed and how your students can use this information to expand their knowledge and engage their creative and intellectual abilities.
We are a non-profit organization that makes our educational resources available for free to educators of all kinds, including homeschoolers. There’s no cost to you involved at all.
Our resources include lesson plans and discussion guides for box office hits like Disney’s Hidden Figures, Academy Award-winning films like Summer of Soul, and internationally acclaimed films like Like Stars on Earth. We also offer free teaching resources for short films like Golden Age Karate, documentary series like Genius about Albert Einstein, animated films like Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, and educational games like Walden, A Game. We hope that in all this vibrant, creative variety, you can find the perfect tools to teach with film for homeschooling, whatever your needs may be.
If you are looking for ways to add variety to your homeschool curriculum, check out our lesson plans and discussion guides today to teach with film for homeschooling. You can sort our free educational resource library by age, grade, subject, theme, and also recommended audience age, media type, and film running time. If you’re new to teaching with film, our Teacher Toolbox is a great place to start. If you have any questions about our materials, please contact us.
Have fun exploring our Resource Library and happy homeschooling.
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Teach with Film about Political Corruption & Civic Engagement
We have added a new film guide to our library to help you teach with film about political corruption and civic engagement! Political corruption is an abuse of power in which public officials and political leaders use their positions of public trust and influence for private gain. An informed and educated population is essential for a thriving democracy because people can hold government officials accountable and make it harder for them to abuse their power. Government transparency and a free press are also important. Our Civic Engagement Lessons are designed to introduce students to the the mechanics of political corruption and the ways that everyday citizens can play a role in maintaining healthy democracies. These are great tools for teaching Civics, Current Events, Government, Political Science, and Social Studies.
Resources to Teach with Film about Political Corruption & Civic Engagement
Teach with Film about Political Corruption & Civic Engagement: And So It Begins — New Resource!
“How can you have election integrity
if you don’t have integrity of facts?”
Maria Ressa
And So It Begins follows key players in the 2022 Philippines presidential election from two sides of an increasingly dangerous war between press and government. Journalist Maria Ressa faces many legal charges because the government of the Philippines specifically enacts laws aimed at undermining journalistic freedoms and integrity in order to pave the way for increased political corruption. The Philippines is an important case study on the relationship between a free press and political corruption.
Our And So It Begins Learning Guide features a section on Political Corruption and Civic Engagement. It explores the actions that weaken democratic institutions and pave the way for political corruption. It also examines the power of civic engagement and the civic responsibilities of global citizens. This section includes questions for discussion, writing, or personal reflection, as well as extension activities, and additional resources.
More Resources to Teach with Film about Political Corruption & Civic Engagement:
Teach with Film about Political Corruption & Civic Engagement: Navalny
The Navalny documentary provides an intimate portrait of Russian opposition leader, democracy champion and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny, the man most feared by Vladimir Putin. Our Navalny Learning Guide includes a section on Civic Engagement: Political Corruption, Nationalism, Leadership that explores the civic engagement responsibilities of global citizens. The Navalny film and learning guide make a powerful combination with And So It Begins.
Lesson Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning Subjects: Civics, Current Events, Political Science, Social Studies
Teach with Film about Political Corruption & Civic Engagement: Civics and Civic Engagement Lesson Collection
We recommend the classroom-ready lessons in our Civics and Civic Engagement Lesson Collection to further explore issues raised in the resources listed here. Relevant subjects and themes in this collection include: Civic Engagement and Community Belonging. Community Action and Engagement, Effective Advocacy, Grassroots Work, The Strategic Use of Power, What is Power, and Working for Change.
Teach Media Literacy with Film: Disinformation and Social Media
We have added a new film guide to our library to help you teach media literacy with film! In the current dominant online ecosystem, facts are often secondary or irrelevant. Instead, clicks and social media engagement are driving factors for content creation. Algorithms often encourage bias against facts and fact-based journalism. Our Media Literacy and Journalism Lessons are designed to help students think critically about the many kinds of media and messages they are exposed to and to consider the ways media is created and shared. These are great tools for teaching digital literacy, journalism. media literacy and online safety.
Resources to Teach about Media Literacy with Film
New Resource! Teach about Media Literacy with Film: And So It Begins
“What I have witnessed and documented over the past decade is technology’s
godlike power to infect each of us with a virus of lies, pitting us against one
another, igniting, even creating, our fears, anger, and hatred, and accelerating
the rise of authoritarians and dictators around the world.”
– Maria Ressa, How To Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future
And So It Begins shows the impact of online disinformation on real world people and politics. The documentary closely follows key players in the 2022 Philippines presential election from two sides of an increasingly dangerous war between press and government. Representing the journalists is fearless Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, who despite arrests and harassment continues to publish articles holding a lawless regime accountable. On the other side, influencers start an incendiary social media movement.
Our And So It Begins Learning Guide features a section on Journalism, Disinformation, and Social Media. It explores how social media and disinformation can create fragmented versus shared social constructions of reality, as shown in the film. This section includes questions for discussion, writing, or personal reflection, as well as extension activities, an online quiz, and additional resources. These resources creates breathing room for students to consider and discuss the intersection of social media and politics in the context of real world events in another country with more objectivity than they might bring to examples of partisan politics closer to home.
More Resources to Teach About Nobel Prize Winners with Film
Teach about Media Literacy with Film: Navalny
The Navalny documentary provides an intimate portrait of Russian opposition leader, democracy champion and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny. Our Navalny Learning Guide includes two sections that make a great combination with And So It Begins:
Data Tracking, State Surveillance, and the Role of Journalism asks: Is it possible for data tracking to be used for justice without compromising individual privacy?
Social Media, Censorship, and Propaganda explores how to consume informational critically.
Lesson Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning Subjects: Civics, Current Events, Journalism, Media Literacy, Political Science, Social Studies
Teach about Media Literacy with Film: The Social Dilemma
Documentary-drama hybrid The Social Dilemma reveals how social media is reprogramming civilization with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations.
The learning tools for The Social Dilemma also work well with And So It Beginss. These tools include: Classroom Debate Resource, Gen Z Action Guide, Center for Humane Technology – Youth Toolkit, and Bonus Interview Clips.
Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning Subjects: Current Events, Media Literacy, Psychology
Teach about Media Literacy with Film: Media Literacy and Journalism Collection
We recommend the classroom-ready lessons in our Media Literacy and Journalism Collection to further explore issues raised in the resources outlined here. Subjects and themes in this collection include: Bias and the Politics of Production, Fake News, Investigative Journalism, Media Analysis, Media Responsibility, Propaganda, the Importance of a Free Press, the Role of Citizen Journalists, and Understanding What You Are Watching.
We have just added new film guides to our resource library to help you teach about Nobel Prize Winners with film! Alfred Nobel (1833–1896), a wealthy Swedish scientist, left a bequest for annual international awards in physics, chemistry, medicine, and literature, as well as one that he called a Peace Prize. Winners receive medals and diplomas, as well as substantial monetary grants; they also have the opportunity to deliver formal speeches to guests invited to the awards ceremonies in Sweden. The compelling real life stories of Nobel Prize winners like Albert Einstein, the Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai and Maria Ressa can empower and inspire students and teachers alike. Plus these award-winning global education films from around the world introduce students to new countries, cultures, and points of view. These are great tools for teaching character education, leadership, and social-emotional learning.
Teach about Nobel Prize Winners with Film
Spotlight on Maria Ressa
“Without facts, you can’t have truth.
Without truth, you can’t have trust.
Without these, we have no shared reality, no rule of law, no democracy.”
Maria Ressa
And So It Begins introduces viewers to Filipino-American investigative journalist and media integrity campaigner Maria Ressa. In October 2021, Ressa was one of two journalists awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”
Our And So It Begins Learning Guide features a profile on Maria Ressa, exploring her extraordinary career and her fight for free speech. It also presents her inspirational 2023 commencement speech, which can fire up students to build a better future.
Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning Subjects: Current Events, English Language Arts, Journalism, Media Literacy, Speech
More Resources to Teach About Nobel Prize Winners with Film
Teach about Nobel Prize Winners: Albert Einstein
“I don’t care about awards….
I care about science,…about
understanding the world around us.”
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein’s Nobel prize was not for his theory of relativity but for his paper on the photoelectric effect, and it came well after his theory of relativity had been acclaimed by other scientists. The Royal Academy gave Einstein the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922 “for his services in Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.” The photoelectric effect involves, light, magnetism, and the release of energy in one form or another.
Genius Season One explores the life and work of Albert Einstein. Our Genius: Albert Einstein Discussion Guide provides context for Einstien’s Nobel Prize and provides questions to lead students in discussions of how Einstein reacted to the prize and how it affected his life.
Lesson Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning Subjects: STEM classes (especially physics), US History, World History
“Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness.
We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced.”
Malala Yousafzai
He Named Me Malala introduces students to the life and education advocacy work of Malala Yousafzai. When 11-year-old blogger Malala Yousafzai began detailing her experiences in the Swat Valley of Pakistan for the BBC, she had no idea what momentous changes were coming in her life. She and her father Ziauddin spoke out in favor of girls’ access to education and against restrictions imposed by extremists. When Malala was shot in the head by a gunman on her way home from school and almost killed in 2012, she used the international attention she attracted to advocate for the cause of girls’ education worldwide. In 2014 she was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at age 17, becoming the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history.
Our He Named Me Malala Curriculum Guide includes a lesson plan focused on Malala’s Nobel Prize address. Although most people recognize the phrase “Nobel Prize,” students may know little about its significance. This lesson begins with an introduction to the history and nature of the Nobel Prize. (Teachers may find this portion of the lesson helpful to use with the other lessons about Nobel Prize winners listed here.) Students then view Malala’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance
speech and go on to analyze its content. They learn about rhetorical devices and investigate their use and significance in the speech.
Lesson Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College Subjects: English Language Arts, Language Arts, Speech
Teach about Nobel Prize Winners: 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso
“Because we all share this small planet earth,
we have to learn to live in harmony and peace
with each other and with nature.
That is not just a dream, but a necessity.”
Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
In narrative feature film The Cup, two young Tibetans in exile find refuge in Chokling Monastery in Northern India, where they will soon receive their ordination — and turn the life of the monastery upside-down. It’s a powerful tool for teaching students about Tibet, Tibetan culture, and global refugees, plus it’s a film that students love.
Lesson 7: A World of Refugees in our The Cup Curriculum Guide includes a special focus on the 14th Dalai Lama, who is himself a refugee. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. Activity 4: The World’s Most Famous Refugee explores the Dalai Lama’s life and work in exile. This activity includes a student handout. The lesson also features an extension activity about Nobel Prize winners, including Martin Luther King Jr.
Lesson Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Subjects: Current Events, International Relations, Service Learning, Social Studies, World History
Ramona S. Diaz is an award-winning Filipino American filmmaker and the director of And So It Begins. She is best known for her compelling character-driven documentaries that combine a profound appreciation for cinematic aesthetics and potent storytelling. Diaz’s films have demonstrated her ability to gain intimate access to the people she films — be they rock stars, first ladies, dissidents, mothers, teachers, or journalists — resulting in keenly observed moments and unforgettable nuanced narratives. Her films have been screened and won awards at top-tier film festivals around the world. Diaz has been recognized by many as one of the most influential Asian American women working in film and television.
The And So It Begins Learning Guide introduces learners to Ramona S. Diaz and her filmmaking career. It features discussion questions about Diaz’s creative process and filmmaking techniques. It also includes extension activities and additional resources.
These teaching tools are great additions to classes on filmmaking, film literacy, film studies, media literacy, and women in film.
Get the And So It Begins Learning Guide now to learn more about this accomplished filmmaker and how you can teach with her powerful film.
Bonus: Teaching about Groundbreaking Women in World Cinema? We also offer an introduction in our Meshes of the Afternoon Discussion Guide to experimental filmmaker Maya Deren, and a profile in our Wadjda Curriculum Guide on pioneering Saudi director Haifaa al-Mansour.
PS Are you a social impact filmmaker who’d like too expand the lifespan of your film and its reach to a range of educational audiences? Learn more about partnering with us and get in touch!
And So It Begins chronicles a quirky people’s movement that rises to defend against deepening threats to truth and democracy. This inspirational documentary celebrates a collective act of joy as a form of resistance.
Why Teach With the And So It Begins Learning Guide
This is an important film and resource for diving into into threats to democracy from technology/AI, social media, government corruption and erosion of the free press. It presents a microcosm of a growing global problem with lessons for democracies all over the world.
What Ages Is This Film For
And So It Begins is not rated. We recommend it for ages 13 and up.
What Resources Are Available For This Film
Journeys in Film offers an And So It Begins Learning Guide, designed to work in a variety of settings. It features discussion questions and extension activities. It also includes an introduction to the filmmaker, printable worksheets, and additional resources.
These resources are best for Grades 9-12, college and adult learning communities. They are also great for community education and public screenings.
What Classes does the And So It Begins Learning Guide Work In
The And So It Begins Learning Guide is suitable for classes that cover Civics, Current Events, English Language Arts, Film Literacy, Geography, Government, History, Journalism. Media Literacy, Philippines History, Political Science, Social Studies, Speech, U.S. History, Women’s Studies, and World History.
What Themes Does the And So It Begins Learning Guide Explore
This film is great for teaching about civic engagement, democracy, journalism, and women who make history.
Tell Me More About The Film
Director Ramona Diaz chronicles the months leading up to the Philippine’s 2022 presidential election as the despotic reign of President Rodrigo Duterte is coming to an end.
Amidst a tidal wave of marginalized citizens taking to the streets in support of the change they want to see, Marcos’s eldest son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. is the frontrunner for President. His campaign strategy consists mostly of an unrelenting and vicious social media campaign against his opponent, then-current Vice-President of the Philippines, Leni Robredo. In the operatic opening sequence, a veritable sea of people holding pink flags aloft wave in time to renditions of pop songs praising the socially conscious attorney. A joyful new people’s power movement in Robredo’s name seems to be on the rise as massive numbers of working-class
And So It Begins closely follows key players from two sides of an increasingly dangerous war between press and government. Representing the journalists is fearless Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, who despite arrests and harassment continues to publish articles holding a lawless regime accountable. On the other side, influencers start an incendiary social media movement.
As each side digs in, we become witness to an epic and ongoing fight for the integrity of human life and truth itself — a conflict that extends beyond the Philippines into our own divisive backyard.
What Other Films Does This Film Pair Well With
If you’re teaching about Political Corruption, combine And So It Begins with Navalny.
If you’re teaching about Social Media, combine And So It Begins with The Social Dilemma.
Get your free copy of the And So It Begins Learning Guide from the Journeys in Film Resource Library and learn more about teaching with this powerful film.
Check out our Teacher Toolbox to make teaching with film fun, easy and effective.
How Can I Share Feedback
If you are teaching with this film, we would love to hear how it works for you and your students. Please get in touch with us by using our contact form.
Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with film plus our free educational resources! Combine classroom-ready lesson plans and discussion guides to make learning about world Indigenous Peoples part of your curriculum on special dates like Indigenous People’s Day (October 10) and all year round.
We are pleased to offer free teaching resources for these critically-acclaimed films.
Films to Teach about World Indigenous Peoples
Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: River of Gold
This documentary film chronicles the clandestine journey of two war journalists and their guide into Peru’s Amazon rainforest to uncover the savage destruction of pristine jungle in pursuit of illegally mined gold. The world’s largest and most diverse uncontacted or isolated cultures are centered in the Amazon. Lesson 5: Indigenous Amazonia of the River of Gold Curriculum Guide introduces students to the Indigenous Peoples of of Peru, Colombia, and Brazil.
In this lesson, students explore the complex relationship between indigenous Amazonia and modern South America. They will begin by learning more about the uncontacted tribes of Peru, Colombia, and Brazil such as the Mashco Piro, the Ticuna, and the Tupi peoples. The lesson includes a hands-on visual arts activity and a report project where students exercise their research skills and write a report that outlines the emerging threats to uncontacted peoples and offer policy suggestions to move toward solutions that amplify voices and validate all people and experiences. The lesson also includes two printable worksheets and an answer key for teachers.
This lesson works well for classes in Anthropology, Biology, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Geography, World History.
Lessons for teaching with River of Gold are available in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
For grades 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning
Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with River of Goldand get this lesson plan.
Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Searching for Amani
Set in a Kenyan conservancy facing extreme drought, documentary film Searching for Amani follows a 13-year-old’s pursuit of truth as he uncovers the invisible forces of climate change threatening his home and future. Climate change affects Indigenous communities, impacting practices, identities, and ways of life. The conflict between environmentalists and Indigenous people, in this case Kenyan pastoralists, lies at the heart of the film’s story. The Searching for Amani Climate/Environment Lesson explores issues raised by the film around Biodiversity, Climate, Colonialism, Economic Justice. Indigenous Peoples, and Human Rights.
In Part 1 of this lesson, students explore the complexity of the conflict through the eyes of the film’s main character Simon, whose efforts to investigate his father’s death lead to frustration but also to a new understanding of the difficulties of pastoralists. Part 2 of this lesson helps students place current realities within the context of the colonial past. Part 3 of this lesson sheds further light on the challenges faced by Indigenous communities striving to maintain their traditional ways of life in the face of environmental crises driven by a shifting climate. Students navigate the complexities of these conflicts using a case study model.
This lesson features extension activities and five printable handouts, including a Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Peoples Worksheet and Teacher Answer Key, and an Indigenous Peoples and Climate Justice Worksheet.
This lesson works well for classes in Community Service Learning, Environmental Science, Social Studies, and World History.
For grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Note: This lesson was created with International Baccalaureate (IB) students in mind.
Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples withSearching for Amaniand get this lesson plan.
Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: The Wild
The Wild tells the story of a race against time to save wild salmon. Fisherman/filmmaker Mark Titus returns to the wilds of Alaska where the people of Bristol Bay and its storied wild salmon runs face devastation if a massive copper mine is constructed. Bristol Bay, Alaska is the last fully-intact wild salmon system left on Earth. It is also home to the worlds’ last functioning salmon culture. The Yupik, Dena’ina, and Alutiiq Peoples have thrived here since time immemorial because of Bristol Bay’s abundance of wild salmon.
Lesson 2: Saving Bristol Bay – Understanding Different Perspectives in The Wild Curriculum Guide invites students to develop a deeper understanding of the issues faced by the Indigenous Peoples of Bristol Bay and along with other stakeholders presented in the film.
This lesson works well for classes in Civics, Current Events, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Geography, Human Development, Political Science, Science, and Service Learning.
For grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with The Wild and get this lesson plan.
Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Whale Rider
Whale Rider is a narrative feature film that tells the story of a Māori girl who challenges generations of cultural tradition and assumptions about gender. Introduce students to the Māori Indigenous People of Aotearoa / New Zealand with lessons and class activities across the curriculum.
Who Are the Māori (Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, World History)
Traditional Māori Beliefs (English Language Arts, Religious Literacy, Religious Studies, Social Studies, World History, World Religions)
Māori Roles and Relationships (English Language Arts, Visual Literacy)
Insights into Māori Culture (Film-Specific Cross-Cultural Understanding)
Markings of the Māori: Ta Moko (Art, Studio Arts, Visual Arts)
Bonus: For a film-book pairing, teach the Whale Rider movie with the book it was based on, The Whale Rider by Māori writer Witi Ihimaera.
For grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with Whale Rider and get these lesson plans.
Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Sugarcane — Coming Soon to Journeys in Film
Award-winning documentary Sugarcane follows a ground-breaking investigation into abuse and death at an Indian residential school.
Learn more about teaching about World Indigenous Peoples with Sugarcane.
Teaching resources for this powerful film are coming soon to Journeys in Film! To be the first to hear when we launch new educational resources for Sugarcane and other films, sign up for our newsletter.
Teach about World Indigenous Peoples with Film: Important Dates
These educational resources are designed to help you teach about World Indigenous Peoples all year round. Educators may find these materials are particularly useful on the following important dates:
2022–2032 International Decade of Indigenous Languages
March 24 International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
June National Indigenous History Month (Canada)
June 21 National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada)
July Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Mental Health Awareness Month
August 9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
September 22-26 Truth and Reconciliation Week (Canada)
October Native American Heritage Month
October 10 Indigenous People’s Day
November Native American/Alaska Native Heritage Month
November (day after Thanksgiving) Native American Heritage Day
Celebrate Immunization Awareness Month with The Invisible Shield
August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Teach about the impact of disinformation, science skepticism & government distrust on vaccination efforts with The Invisible Shield. This four-part documentary series highlights public health’s major successes and the heroes who make them possible every day
From the early days of inoculation in the late 1700s through the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine, scientists have achieved extraordinary feats to combat, contain, and eradicate disease — but solutions only work if people trust the science. The Invisible Shield explores how disinformation, science skepticism, and government distrust impact vaccination efforts. It highlights how historical injustices and inequities lead to apprehension, forcing public health to refine its approach.
The Inoculation, Inequity, and Public Trust section of our free Discussion Guide for The Invisible Shield focuses on the connection between public trust and public health. This section explores historical factors leading to the erosion of trust in public health, particularly regarding vaccines, and looks at the importance of community outreach to improve trust. It’s a great way to get students in grade 11 through higher education and public health career candidates excited about careers in epidemiology and related fields.
Celebrate Immunization Awareness Month with this powerful teaching tool for individual learners, classrooms, and community education. Learn more about The Invisible Shield and our free Discussion Guide.
PS Looking for more healthcare-related resources? You may also enjoy:
A Towering Task, which includes a collegiate-level resources for teaching about health disparity and health gradients as well as collegiate-level resources for Public Health education;
August is National Inventor’s Month and we’re celebrating The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. This Netflix film is based on the true story of William Kamkwamba, whose creativity, persistence and courage as a schoolboy provided a solution to devastating drought for his family and eventually many others in his country of Malawi and beyond.
We offer a Discussion Guide and a Curriculum Guide with classroom-ready lessons for this film, to make it easy to work with in different settings. Students can learn more about wind power and the physics of generating electricity, as well as lessons in English Language Arts, Social Studies, Film Studies and more. These are powerful resource to inspire young inventors in your classroom!
August is American Artist Appreciation Month! We’re celebrating Corita Kent, also known as Sister Mary Corita! The acclaimed artist and teacher used painting and calligraphy to convey ideas about peace, racial harmony and social justice.
Lesson 3 The Power of Corita Kent’s Calligraphic Art in our free Rebel Hearts Curriculum Guide features a hands-on Visual Arts lesson suitable for grades 9-12 based on Sister Mary Corita’s artwork. It’s a powerful tool to help students find their voice through multi-media artwork.
You and your students can learn more about Sister Mary Corita / Corita Kent, her revolutionary protest art, and her time as a nun in the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with award-winning documentary Rebel Hearts and the Rebel Hearts Curriculum Guide.
PS If you’re teaching about Art, Artists and Art History, you might also like the lesson about The Hudson River Painters in our Walden, A Game Curriculum Guide.
Healthcare Matters: Storytelling, Education, and Partnerships for Change
Journeys in Film is proud to be part of the American Heart Association (AHA) International Stroke Conference 2025, in collaboration with AHA Bernard J. Tyson Office of Health and AHA Creative Studios.
Journeys Executive Director Jennifer Fischer moderated a panel discussing rural healthcare, following a screening of the short documentary “Health Wanted: Finding Care in Rural America”. The panel was introduced by Gerald Johnson, EVP, Bernard J. Tyson Office of Health and Chief Culture Officer, and Crystal King, National Vice President, Creative & Design, AHA Creative Studios. The panel featured Gerald Johnson; Andrea Ooten, AHA Executive Director for Central and Eastern Kentucky; Jill Birnbaum, AHA National Senior Vice President of Field Advocacy; and Alice Benjamin, also known as Nurse Alice, a cardiac clinical nurse specialist and family nurse practitioner.
Journeys in Film has been a proud partner with the American Heart Association for nearly four years, collaborating on virtual events for American Heart Association staff that use film for team building and to foster dialogue and build understanding around various topics and issues.
The Journeys in Film partnership with the American Heart Association is one of many health-related educational projects that Journeys in Film has been involved with. Other recent projects include:
A Towering Task, which includes a collegiate-level resources for teaching about health disparity and health gradients as well as collegiate-level resources for Public Health education;
Matter of Mind: My Parkinson’s, in partnership with Indie Lens Pop-Up and PBS Independent Lens, about Parkinson’s Disease;
The Invisible Shield, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Radical Media, about heroes of the public health system;
If you are a filmmaker or healthcare organization who wants to explore the educational and outreach potential of film, please get in touch. We’d love to talk with you about partnering to increase the social impact of your project.
About Health Wanted: Finding Care in Rural America
“Health Wanted: Finding Care in Rural America” is an original video docuseries created by AHA Creative Studios. The six-part series leverages storytelling to focus on unique health challenges and barriers in rural communities. The series uses first-person, on-location documentary-style storytelling — focused from Alaska to Appalachia — to highlight real world obstacles to the successful prevention and treatment of heart disease, treatment of mental health concerns, and reduction of maternal health mortality rates in rural America. The series also focuses on the specific challenges faced by understaffed rural hospitals and health clinics while highlighting struggling yet innovative efforts to promote better health outcomes, primarily through local community engagement and improved local systems of care. You can watch Health Wanted: Finding Care in Rural America for free on YouTube. Community discussion guides that amplify these documentaries and support community engagement with the series can be found through American Heart Association: The Road to Rural Health.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century. During 2024 – their Centennial year – they are celebrating their rich 100-year history and accomplishments. As they forge ahead into their second century of bold discovery and impact, their vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere.
About Journeys in Film
Journeys in Film amplifies the storytelling power of film to promote a richer understanding of our diverse and complex world. Since 2003, Journeys in Film has pioneered the use of film for interdisciplinary lessons in the classroom. We also develop discussion guides for films for powerful films designed to work in multiple settings, such as classroom discussions, after-school clubs, community outreach, higher education and adult education, professional organizations and more. All of the Journeys in Film educational resources are cost-free. Learn more about partnering with Journeys in Film. To donate to support our work in creating and distributing free educational resources, please visit https://journeysinfilm.org/product/donation/.
Pope Francis: Letter to Educators
In 2022, Pope Francis wrote a personal Letter to Educators for Journeys in Film to include in our curriculum guide for Francesco, the award-winning Pope Francis documentary by Evgeny Afineevsky. We hope that this letter provides inspiration and comfort to educators of all kinds, regardless of faith or philosophy.
A Letter from Pope Francis
Dear teacher:
Our world, so overwhelming, needs you in such a special way. In the history of humanity, new pages are being written, many of them filled with sufferings, others full of hope. And you, from your place, every day, every morning or every afternoon, when you meet with your students, are building part of that history.
From that moment in which you discovered your passion for teaching, almost without realizing it, you assumed the mission of finding, in the person of your students, someone who hopes, a heart that wants to be loved and learn how to love, a life that doesn’t want to lose hope. So, in each encounter with a boy or girl, you are the main actor of a page of history which is written in the heart of each one of them.
Education, teaching, allowing for growth is not only a paid job, but rather something that goes further. It assumes the challenge of receiving life as it is; taking their hands with tenderness and listening to their worries without imposing oneself, but rather proposing a path to follow. It is a task that can only be done with the heart.
For this reason, I ask you to never forget that to be an educator is to look on with love and to transmit to new generations the passion for that which is good, fighting for a fairer and more harmonious world.
Being an educator also is building, through small gestures, the culture of coming together which is only possible if we remember that “no one is saved alone,” even as “save yourself ” is often the main belief nowadays.
To educate is to grow, and one only grows in the haven of a community and a family. You who know the importance of memory and memories, help your students to remember the tender glances that have been forming them. Teach them to discover the vision of Jesus Christ, who watches us with mercy and chooses us. It only grows where there is enthusiasm, where there is joy, where there is simplicity in one’s heart. It only grows where there is no selfishness, where one comes out of oneself to find another; where you think about the poorest among you, who are in the most need and include them in the community and in the family. It only grows where there is LOVE. Don’t be afraid to make teaching an act of love.
Thank you for everything that you do. I am praying for you. May Jesus bless you and may the Holy Virgin take care of you. And please, don’t stop praying for me.
In brotherly love,
Francisco
Francesco is a ground-breaking film featuring unprecedented access to Pope Francis from Oscar-nominated director and producer Evgeny Afineevsky (Director of Winter on Fire). The film offers an intimate look at a global leader who approaches challenging and complex issues with humility, wisdom and generosity.
The Francesco Curriculum Guide includes a one-page version of this letter that is suitable for printing.
We recommend our Francesco Curriculum Guide to educators who want to teach about Pope Francis and are looking for classroom-ready Francesco lesson plans. Our lessons introduce viewers to Pope Francis and go on to explore his commitment to environmental issues, refugees, genocide prevention and more. These lessons are designed for grades 9-10 and 11-12, and may be adaptable for other grades and audiences. Many of the lessons can be used without viewing the film. Our Francesco lesson plans are also available in Spanish: Guía Curricular de Francesco.
Join us at SXSW EDU 2025
Journeys in Film is presenting at SXSW EDU 2025 on March 3! Join our executive director Jen Fischer and panelists from ROCO Films, Common Sense Media and Sierra College as they discuss The Power of Film in Classrooms and Teacher Training. Educators can receive continuing professional learning credit hours by attending this session. We hope you can join us!
Panel: The Power of Film in Classrooms and Teacher Training
We’re also excited to be exhibiting in the SXSW EDU Expo March 3-5! Come say hi at Booth 408. We’ll be sharing our newest resources and answering your questions about teaching with film. Plus we have amazing free giveaways for you. We can’t wait to meet you in person!
Update: You can now listen to an audio recording of the for free!
