About the project

About the project „Run Lola Run: Interactive learning modules for film education“

The registered association NEW WAYS OF LEARNING (NEUE WEGE DES LERNENS e. V.) supports schools in the use of digital media in lessons. It is particularly important to us to overcome the often one-sided focus on mathematical and scientific subjects (STEM) in funding programs and to show new perspectives through exemplary projects and the provision of interactive learning content (apps). A particular concern of the association is the promotion of film culture and film education in schools, using digital tools. Against this background, the association designed and created an extensive collection of interactive learning modules for film education in German language on the 20th anniversary of the film Run Lola Run on 20 August 2018.
Through a cooperation with the UK non-profit organisation The Film Space, it was possible to offer the project in English language as well (see acknowledgments).

This free and freely accessible educational package for Run Lola Run contains extensive interactive tasks and information that enables film-like working in class. Basic texts on film language and film theory convey the knowledge required to complete the interactive tasks. Detailed explanations of all technical terms can be accessed via links and read directly. In addition, there is the free film language app, which contains an extensive dictionary on film language.

The project was awarded the European Comenius-EduMedia-Award for digital educational media Comenius Medal.
With the presentation of the Comenius-EduMedia-Award, the Society for Education, Information and Media e.V. (GPI) honours "digital educational media that are outstanding in terms of pedagogy, content and design". The Comenius Award was presented for the 25th time this year. More information about the Comenius Award at https://comenius-award.de/.

Would you like us to present the project in your institution or demonstrate it in a workshop? Contact us. Feel free to write to us if you have any questions or suggestions about the educational package or your own project ideas.

Who are the learning modules aimed at?

Teachers, for the preparation of film education teaching in general or as a pool of ideas that could be explored using film, as well as specifically for the study of Run Lola Run in class.
Teacher training students and teachers who would like to continue their education in the field of film analysis and film storytelling.
Pupils and students, to learn how to "read a film" and to be able to produce films or moving pictures themselves.
To people involved in film education outside of school.
To everyone who would like to learn a little more about Run Lola Run or more generally about the "making" of films.
To everyone who wants to develop and improve their understanding of the media and images (media literacy).

How are the modules to be used?

The learning units are particularly suitable for use in the subjects such as English, Art, Music and Film and Media Studies as well as for interdisciplinary work.
The areas of study are self contained and the modules can be worked on in any order. Any reference to film-language or film-analytical subjects is indicated by the subtitles of the learning units.
Learning units that are marked with rovide work areas for general and/or individual questions. Processing these tasks necessarily requires access to the entire film (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming).
Modules marked with offer small-step detailed analyses. These tasks can be carried out without access to the entire film.
Technical terms are linked to a film language glossary. This film language glossary is also available as a free app for iOS and Android.

Do you have to see the whole film beforehand?

Learning units marked with are suitable for completing before the first film viewing (pre-viewing phase).
Learning units marked with offer small-step detailed analyses. The detailed analysis is structured in such a way that, in principle, they can be carried out without knowledge of the entire film.
All other learning units require prior viewing (post-viewing phase). Should learning units require an understanding of the entire film in order to be carried out, these are marked with .

Which media education concepts is the project based on?

The modules offer an action-orientated and analytical-cognitive individual approach to film analysis
The project pursues a material-orientated pedagogy that focuses on the interaction with the filmic work of art. Learners should be able to work as "close" as possible to the medium of film. Working with the tasks and the film material can be done in a playful way, without having to go down the path of “gamification”.
Visually-orientated tasks (and visual markers) offer a supplement to the written-language approach and try to do justice to the visual character of the medium.
Tried and tested approaches to text work are made possible when working with the medium of film using interactive tools. The aim is to use these tools to implement different ways of using and approaching the related film excerpts and film images: "playful to concept-oriented, poetic to film language" (based on Alain Bergala).
The learning scenarios are structured in such a way that they are open-ended so that they allow a didactically meaningful communication about the results of the learning process.

Are there other learning units on other topics?

Neue Wege des Lernens e. V. created in 2017 a freely accessible and free educational package (in German language) on F. W. Murnau, a pioneer of silent cinema which can be accessed at the following address: https://murnau.neue-wege-des-lernens.de/
In addition, the association has developed a film language poster that takes the film language icons from the glossary and the tasks of the Run Lola Run modules and puts them together systematically. More information on the poster, which is available in German, English and French, and on how to obtain it, can be found on the this website (in German). An interactive version of the poster is available here.

Acknowledgments and co-operations

Special thanks go to X Verleih AG and the director Tom Tykwer for the ideal support for the project and the free provision of the film clips used. The information on the version used can be found in the imprint.

We would like to thank the Deutsche Filmakademie e.V. and the vierundzwanzig.de project for permission to use excerpts from an interview with Mathilde Bonnefoy.

The project was originally developed in German language in the country of origin of the film. Through a cooperation with the UK non-profit organisation The Film Space, it was possible to offer the project in English as well. Special thanks go to Ian Wall and Deborah Duke for professional translation.

Support our work

Do you like these interactive learning modules for film education? Have the modules become an important part of your teaching or educational work? Then support us with a donation to expand the Run Lola Run modules (we still have a lot of ideas!) and to create additional interactive learning modules and educational packages on other films and cultural topics!