They are -from left to right- Núria Aidelman (Cinema in course's Co-director), Laia Montañà (Cinema in Course's current coordinator) and Laia Colell (Cinema in course's Co-director).

- First of all, what is A Bao A Qu?

A Bao A Qu is a cultural non-profit organization dedicated to the conception and development of projects that link culture, education and the arts. We work mainly in the schools, with the direct involvement of artists (filmmakers, photographers, artists...) and teachers. Among the programs we develop, in addition to 'Cinema in course', they stand out 'Artists in Residence', 'Photography course', 'Moving Cinema', as well as collaborations with the MACBA, the CCCB, Foto Colectania, Filmoteca de Catalunya and the CGAI – Centro Galego de Artes da Imaxe.

- What is the 'Cinema in course'?

‘Cinema in course’ is a cinema program for schools and high schools. We started in Catalonia in 2005, but now we also develope the program in Galicia, Madrid, Argentina and Chile, and we will soon begin in Germany (Berlin and Brandenburg).

One of the main themes of the project are the workshops with students between 8 and 18 years, during school hours, and offered jointly by a director and a team of teachers. Workshops lasts a long duration (between six months and a whole school year), in which students do a discovery of cinema through screenings of films and film clips of diverse authors, and they also have the chance to develop their own creative practice. Throughout the course students are able to knoew film authors as diverse as Chantal Akerman, Johan van der Keuken, David Perlov, Agnès Varda, Roberto Rossellini, François Truffaut, Hou Hsiao-hsien, José Luis Guerin, Isaki Lacuesta and Mia Hansen-Løve. They also perform several practices, and the course ends with the completion of a documentary or a fictional film. Some practices are filmed with cell phones or home videos, and especially the final film is performed with professionals camera and sound equipments. The process of creating films are groups: from script to assembly, through documentation, planning and shooting.

Beyond the workshops, we also offer training for teachers, the project 'Little Cinema on course' (for children aged between 3 and 8 years) and we produce educational proposals for film in educational contexts. In fact, somehow it is a laboratory of applied research.

- How did this initiative come up?

We could say that it came up as a double need. On the one hand, people who are in the association, many of us come from the world of cinema and have strong ties to this art. For us it was very important to let the children and young people discover and understand cinema as an art creation and culture. We wanted to create interest around cinema, often unknown and not part of the mainstream habits. On the other hand, we perceived that the ability in filmmaking contribute a lot to schools and institutes. Making movies will allow the students to look around them, rediscover their environment... Movies can also articulate a deeper knowledge of oneself and also they give the ability to get in the place of the other. Cinema encourages teamwork, decision making, initiative, responsibility... 

- How is your relationship with the Barcelona Film Commission?

We have a very close relationship and continuously since students perform practices in different city locations. Through the BFC we expedite permits to shoot in the streets, squares, gardens, beaches of Barcelona...

- How many permits do you ask in a school year? In what areas of Barcelona are you used to shoot?

We have asked around 20 permits to the BFC in this school year 2015-2016. In addition to streets and squares near the schools involved in the project, the beaches are locations in which kids love to shoot. We have shot many films in the Mar Bella and San Sebastià over the years. Parks and highest viewing points of the city, such as Montjuic or Carmel, are also locations that were filmed several times during the editions of Cinema in course... Above all, we shoot in locations that are very significant to our students.

- How do you choose the locations where shoot with the kids?

The students themselves are in charfe of deciding the locations. In fact, the films locations have a very important role. As we mentioned before, a very important aspect for us is to open the possibility to rediscover the surroundings of the city. Even many students, who live in areas not considered "beautiful" or "interesting" sometimes ignore these locations, but with time they rediscover and appreciate this places. It is also very interesting to work with groups of newcomers, because cinema is an opportunity to know the city and make it their.

- How would you rate your experience with the Barcelona Film Commission?

Very good! We are always well advised! They always indicate us what is the best procedure to follow, according to the chosen location. Moreover, they give us a hand when we do not have much time to issue a permit. 

- What do you think of Barcelona as a film set? 

It has many values: the light, the sea, the view from several hills (Montjuic, Carmel, Collserola...). But it is especially interesting because of its diversity. Barcelona is infinite! Districts have very different values ​​and you can create unique films... The narrow streets, dark and full of history of the Gothic Quarter, beaches or large blocks buildings in Montbau. They are so different!

La solitud, Institut Milà i Fontanals, Cinema en curs 2013-2014 from Cinema en curs on Vimeo.