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Private company

Children's Film Unit

Logo: I scanned the logo from an old letterhead and manipulated it to fit my illustrative requirements., Non-free logo, via Wikipedia3

British film production project

The Children's Film Unit was a unique British film production unit which offered children from the ages of 10 to 16 the opportunity to learn about all aspects of filmmaking, and to participate as part of the crew in the making of professional-quality feature films. The children were directly involved from the initial concept of a film right through to the completed product. CFU films had a theatrical release, as well as being shown on British and overseas television, and were exhibited (and sometimes winners) at international film festivals.2 It ceased to exist in 2011.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1981Founded1
  • HeadquartersLondon1

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The Children's Film Unit was a unique British film production unit which offered children from the ages of 10 to 16 the opportunity to learn about all aspects of filmmaking, and to participate as part of the crew in the making of professional-quality feature films. The children were directly involved from the initial concept of a film right through to the completed product.2

The story

The Children's Film Unit was formed in 1981 by schoolteacher and ex-Avengers writer, Colin Finbow. It had begun life as the film studies department at Forest Hill School in South East London. The standard of the work Finbow and his students produced so excited professional film makers due to its quality and freshness that, after one of their films, "The Custard Boys" (1979) received critical acclaim, it was suggested that more children should benefit from this unique experience.

From Wikipedia’s article on Children's Film Unit, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 2011Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1981Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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