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Free film screenings are taking place at the Omniplex in Newry this month as part of the Into Film Festival. The festival opened in Newry this week with a screening of Paddington in Peru at the Imaginarium. The event included a Teddy Bears’ Picnic and marmalade sandwiches for those attending. On 19 November Paddington in Peru is being shown in the Omniplex Newry and on 26 November The Spongebob Movie - Search for Squarepants will be shown with both taking place at 10am.
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Peru and a Teddy Bears’ Picnic. The event was attended by St Malachy’s Primary
School (Carnagat). Pictured here are teacher Catherine McCartan’s P4 class.
Sean Kelly, Into Film’s Delivery Manager for Northern Ireland, said the Newry screening showed what the festival aims to achieve. “Our Teddy Bears’ Picnic screening in Newry is just one great example of the way the Into Film Festival offers fantastic opportunities to inspire young people through the shared experience of cinema. By giving pupils the chance to enjoy films on the big screen, discover new stories and explore the creativity behind filmmaking, we hope to spark their imaginations and encourage a lifelong love of film and reading.”
The 2026 festival features a total of 54 screenings throughout the north with 8,742 free seats available. It offers educators and pupils aged 5 to 19 the chance to use film as an educational tool, bringing learning to life, sparking classroom discussions and supporting learning in the curriculum through stories and experiences on the big screen.
screening of Paddington in Peru
Into Film is the education charity that organises the festival in the UK, and the festival is the world’s largest free film festival of its kind.
A Review Writing Competition will also give young people the opportunity to put their thoughts into words by reviewing the films they watch. Each winning entry will receive a £200 voucher for their class to enjoy.
This year’s festival supports the National Year of Reading, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust and the Department of Education. The initiative encourages children and young people to Go All In on the films they love by reading into them, celebrating the connection between film and literacy.
screening of Paddington in Peru
A recent survey conducted by the National Literacy Trust found that two in five children and young people (38.1%) said they were motivated to read when the reading material related to a favourite film or TV series.
The Into Film Festival is supported by Cinema First and the UK film industry.
Tickets are still available for the two Newry screenings and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. More information and booking details at www.intofilm.org/festival.
