Michael Sheen's new role: taking film and drama to poor children

Welsh actor supporting a project for disadvantaged students in clubs and movie theater

Michael Sheen, acclaimed film and theater actor, spoke of his fear that the most disadvantaged British schoolchildren have a way to discover the culture. Speaking in support of a new project to fight against cultural poverty, the star called children of all backgrounds to have more opportunities for a wide range of films and participate in local theater groups. Sheen, who grew up in Wales and discovered she loved drama at school, lamented the lack of access to youth theater and film classics for many poor children today.

"Now I realize that I had a lot of advantages when I was growing up in West Glamorgan," he said. "Not only in terms of my family, but because he was a golden age, where no cultural opportunities were available to me. "

Sheen, 43, who lives in Los Angeles and starred

Midnight in Paris

and

Frost / Nixon attended school full Port Talbot as a child, where his drama teacher suggested that he should join the local youth theater. "My old school does not have drama department any more, so there is no doubt that someone will be able to follow in my footsteps. 'All S was removed, "he said.

• The actor has welcomed the launch of poverty Cultural Forum childhood in Wales and added that the key implication Club movie, a national charitable organization that supports, allow more schools to introduce students to the cinema. With a workforce of more than 7,000 schools across the UK, Cinema Club publishes journals children each week on their website.
• "Movies are a great way to reach children who are not easily engage in other forms of culture," said Sheen .. "Through films become member a community and talk about what they saw are not aware that they were high, so it is especially good for children who are hard of formal education, but extends them to academic children. Everybody has a higher self-esteem, which is reflected in the improvement of their work. "

Sheen was involved in charity, which was founded in 2006 by director Beeban Kidron, after seeing his lecture on the importance of cultural education. "Beeban made it clear that all our understanding of ourselves is shaped by the stories we tell each other. The idea that culture is a supplement is ridiculous," said Sheen. "It is at the heart of our culture."

Sheen young

discovered theater watching classic black and white on BBC2 on Sunday afternoon. "These are things that I have developed," he said. "But these days it is not just a question of the quality of the movies that children see, but it is a question of whether they are not the focus should be placed on the existence of available culture is amazing .. but I in Wales, 32% of children live in poverty., I am very pleased that the Welsh Assembly Government supports the new forum. "

The forum was launched in Caernarfon this month, in collaboration with the Film Agency for Wales, Children's Commissioner for Wales, Save the Children and Wales End Child Poverty Network Cymru. Abi Beacon, deputy head of Gaer Newport High School, school club runs the film and is convinced of its value in a place where 25% of children are eligible for free school meals. "Going to the cinema is simply not an option for many of our students," he said. "The nearest cinema is three miles away and the cost is prohibitive for most families in our country. "

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