Aeráid Youth Film & Climate Action Programme
AERÁID: Youth Film & Climate Action is a pioneering FREE arts and education initiative developed by Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) to engage Transition Year students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds/DEIS schools, in climate change awareness and activism through cinema. Aeráid (meaning ‘climate’) utilises the powerful platform of film storytelling to provide a relevant, accessible pathway for youth to understand complex environmental issues.
The idea for “Aeráid” emerged from a conversation between CIFF and Festival Patron David Puttnam following the inaugural Green Screen screening of Animal, presented in partnership with UCC. The post-screening panel featured Niamh Guiry (UCC Green Campus), Alicia Joy O’Sullivan (UCC Students’ Union Environmental Officer and activist), Alannah Wrynn (Fridays for Future Cork), and young climate activist Sarah Sheehy. Inspired by the film and the powerful discussion that followed, David Puttnam proposed the idea of bringing climate action films into every school in Ireland.
Aeráid utilises the powerful platform of film storytelling to provide a relevant and accessible pathway for young people to understand complex environmental issues and, combined with practical, expert-led workshops, harness creativity and peer-to-peer engagements to motivate positive behavioural changes in their communities.
Programme Goals:
- Improve climate literacy through accessible, engaging storytelling.
- Empower young people to take meaningful action in their communities.
- Combat misinformation and offer constructive, expert-led alternatives.
Delivery Model:
- Includes curated film screenings and expert-led workshops.
- Offers interactive components such as the Aeráid Futures Forum, “Just One Thing” change challenge, and Green Gathering peer-led Forum..
- Designed to create ripple effects in schools, homes, and local communities.
- Available in person in Cork, with the aim to offer an online programme to schools nationwide.
AERÁID YOUTH FILM & CLIMATE ACTION 2026
Cork International Film Festival was delighted to receive a grant from the ESB Energy for Generations Fund to deliver Aeráid to young people during its 71st edition in November 2026.
This project will target Transition Year students, especially those attending Cork DEIS schools, offering free film-based and practical workshops devised by academic experts and film curators. It will address challenges affecting young people’s education and wellbeing, including limited access to clear, actionable climate change information that is relevant to their lives and local communities. By simplifying climate literacy, it will provide an inclusive, engaging platform to understand climate issues and explore positive actions. Building on CIFF’s previous collaborations with DEIS schools, the project will respond to strong demand for such initiatives, which are often underfunded.
To achieve a net zero future by 2040, children’s participation and voices are critical in climate debate and decision-making. EFG funding will provide vital financial support to enable CIFF to develop this project entirely for free, and equip young people and their teachers with the knowledge, tools, and inspiration needed to empower them to be agents of change within their communities in Cork. This would contribute to the Green Transition, and elevate their voices as active stakeholders in climate action.
Aeráid Programme: Spring 2026
Arco
In 2075, a girl witnesses a mysterious boy in a rainbow suit fall from the sky. He comes from an idyllic far future where time travel is possible. She shelters him and will do whatever it takes to help him return to his time.
Supported by:
Aeráid Post-Screening Discussion
Hosted at the Arc Cinema, Cork City in April 2026, this Schools event featured a FREE screening of the animated feature Arco, followed by a 20-minute facilitated discussion exploring the film’s environmental themes and the importance of climate action with Michelle McKeown, Lecturer in School of Human Environment, UCC.
Over 100 students attended from schools across Cork city and county.
About
Programme:
In 2023, CIFF delivered a successful pilot Aeráid event as part of our Green Screen sustainability film strand, in partnership with Future Planet and UCC. The pilot featured a screening of the documentary Fashion Reimagined, followed by a panel discussion with three sustainability experts, using cinema to inspire eco-conscious thinking and spark discussion around sustainability.
Building on this success, the programme returned in 2025 with Our Blue World: A Water Odyssey. Through film screenings and facilitated discussion, the event deepened young audiences’ understanding of environmental issues and the importance of protecting water ecosystems, further demonstrating the potential of cinema as a powerful tool for climate education and youth engagement.
In April 2026, CIFF host an Aeráid event – a FREE screening of the animated feature Arco, followed by a 20-minute facilitated discussion exploring the film’s environmental themes and the importance of climate action with Michelle McKeown, Lecturer in School of Human Environment, UCC. It took place at the Arc Cinema, Cork City and welcomed over 100 young people.
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