Great movies can inspire and educate, as well as entertain. Show your kids there's more to films than the formula movies the big studios pump out.

It may not be easy at first. Your kids may laugh at the idea of black and white movies and openly rebel at subtitles! But if you persevere, you'll be amazed at how the magic of an intelligent, well-crafted movie can enthral even the most jaded kids.

• Introduce your kids to different kinds of films:
  Hollywood classics, documentaries, foreign films and Canadian movies. If you start when they're young, it's much easier to guide their viewing and help them to grow up with a love of good filmmaking.
  
  
• Mine the cinematic resources of your local library. Most offer a selection of classic films on video, and some carry National Film Board (NFB) videos as well (see side bar for the NFB catalogue).
  
  
• To help you choose great movies that will appeal to your kids, use the Movie Review sites listed on the right—or buy a good movie review book.
  
  
• If your community offers a children's film festival, check it out. (See our listing on the right for Canadian film festivals for kids.)
  
  
• Encourage your kids to create their own films using the family video camera. When they're older, consider signing them up for a filmmaking course. Nothing stimulates appreciation of an art form more than tackling its practical challenges yourself.