The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy

Inspiring young people to change their world through film

Film is a powerful medium to challenge, motivate and inspire. At The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy (BYFA), students are taught the art of filmmaking from the professionals, providing them with the hands-on experience needed to get that first job in the film industry and the skills to communicate through film.

I went from strength to strength, slowly being given more and more responsibility as I proved myself and developed both my technical ability and my life skills

During a five-week summer placement, students work on a real film set in a variety of roles, from acting, to wardrobe, to post-production, to give them a good understanding of the diverse career paths available. Guidance is provided by professional filmmakers and seasoned actors (who have, so far, included Brian Blessed, Todd Carty and Pauline Quirke). The resulting feature-length film then goes into post-production, and is ready for distribution the following year, with students’ names appearing in the credits.

The Co-operative has been encouraging young film-makers for over 40 years, through The
Co-operative Film Festival, which gives young people the platform to showcase their creativity and communicate their vision for the future.

Read John's story of how he's turned his life around, thanks to The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy. 


Find out more about:

Our wider programme of activity inspiring young people to change their world

The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy

The Co-operative Film Festival