Cinema Activities in Class IIB at IC Mattioli

This article presents a media literacy and cinema education project carried out with a lower secondary school class in Siena (Italy), in collaboration with IIS Piccolomini. Through an experiential learning approach, students actively engaged in all stages of filmmaking, from scriptwriting to editing, producing the short film Noi e il Palio. The project highlights how cinema can function as an educational tool to foster creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and civic awareness, especially during early adolescence. Rooted in the cultural context of Siena, the experience transforms local heritage into a reflection on community, identity, and peace.