64
countries
186
schools
11000+
teachers
90000+
students
1600000+
alumni network

Advancing Global Film and Media Education

Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision – CILECT was founded in Cannes, France, in 1954 at the proposal of Marcel L’Herbier (IDHEC President) and Rémy Tessonneau (IDHEC General Director) who gathered together for the first time higher education film school representatives from France, Italy, Poland, Spain, UK, USA and USSR.

By 2025 CILECT includes 180+ film, TV and media schools from 60+ countries on 6 continents with 11,000+ teachers and staff that annually train 90,000+ students and communicate with an alumni network over 1,600,000+ strong.

CILECT believes in the inherent inter-connectivity of humankind and fully supports creativity, diversity, cross-cultural thinking and sustainable development as fundamental prerequisites to human existence and progress.

CILECT is committed to developing and promoting the highest standards of education, research and training for film, television and related media through establishing and organizing global and regional forums for the exchange of artistic, pedagogical, methodological and managerial best practices for all its members.

Membership Benefits

Membership
Person

High-scale recognition by the world’s educational, scientific, cultural, and artistic communities.

Person

Opportunities for professional and personal growth for students, teachers and staff through extensive networking initiatives.

Development

Collaboration on or exchange of curriculum plans and programs.

Research

Exclusive access to the best student films produced since 2005.

Books

Exposure to unique teaching resources, best practices, and rare research materials.

Connections

Building professional relationships with esteemed experts in the audiovisual field.

Globe

Gaining knowledge and appreciation of global indigenous cultural diversity.

Uniting Film Education through CILECT's Global Initiatives

CILECT CONGRESS

The primary purpose of the CILECT Congress is to convene the annual General Assembly, which addresses the internal legislative and organizational matters of the association, making it its highest decision-making body. It primarily involves top administrators of Full Member schools to ensure high standards in film, television, and new media education. Each Full Member school in good standing has one vote and may carry proxies from up to two other schools. Decisions require either a simple majority (50%+1) or a qualified majority (67%).

Key Functions of the General Assembly:

  • Admit or expel Full, Partner, and Honorary Members.
  • Amend CILECT Statutes and elect the President.
  • Ratify elections of Regional Association Chairs.
  • Approve annual reports, financial statements, and the four-year strategy.
  • Establish or dissolve Regional Associations and committees.
  • Decide on affiliations with or withdrawals from international organizations.
  • Approve CILECT’s dissolution if necessary.

The Executive Council is the operational body between assemblies, it includes the President and Regional Association Chairs, supported by the Executive Director and Secretariat. Members can serve a maximum of two consecutive four-year terms. The Executive Director oversees administrative, financial, promotional, and other key activities of CILECT.

CILECT & Regional Conferences

The CILECT Conferences are annual events that sometimes are dedicated to sharing good practices and teaching methodologies on any of the major fields of the profession: screenwriting, directing, producing, cinematography, set & costume design, music & sound design, editing, acting,  distribution, theory & history, etc. and other times concentrate on broader topics such as the impact of AI or digital technologies on curricula; building audio-visually literate audiences; ethics/aesthetics; teaching documentary, comedy, children films, animation, television, game design; etc.

To better achieve its objectives CILECT has created five regions:

  • CAPA (CILECT Asia-Pacific Association)
  • CARA (CILECT African Regional Association)
  • CIBA (CILECT Ibero-American Association)
  • CNA (CILECT North American Association)
  • GEECT (Groupement Européen des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision)

REGIONAL Conferences give the members a chance to meet in a less formal working atmosphere and to discuss extremely focused themes in small groups. These are also the best ambiances to form bilateral or multi-lateral agreements.

THE CILECT PRIZE

THE CILECT PRIZE was founded in 2005 at the proposal of Prof. Dr. Stanislav Semerdjiev (NATFA, Sofia, Bulgaria). It strives to facilitate the CILECT Full Member schools with a representative annual showcase of the best student short films which could then become quality teaching examples in the schools’ curricula.

THE CILECT PRIZE is also the first ever international award bestowed to a student film not by jury members but by the whole community of CILECT. Annually, close to 300 films are being watched by 40 000+ students and teachers in the CILECT schools and later on, voted upon as the best films of the association or of its regions.

The formal inauguration of the award in each category (fiction, documentary and animation) is held at the annual congresses of CILECT where all the winners are screened and their teams are invited to meet the CILECT teaching community. The first such ceremony took place at ECAM, Madrid, Spain, on 21 November 2006.

WARNING: Films under the CILECT PRIZE project are made by Full Member school students. Due to the diverse creative and educational purposes, these films cover a broad spectrum of content and styles. Viewer discretion is advised, as the material may not be suitable for audiences outside the audiovisual domain and educational context.