European Recognition for “Film in Hospital”: Our initiative among best EU practices!

We are proud to announce that our initiative, “Film in Hospital,” has been recognized as a key example of good practice in the new, strategic European Union report on Culture and Health!

The Publication: “Culture and Health Time to Act”

Our recognition is featured in the pivotal EU report titled “Culture and Health Time to Act”. This publication is the final report of the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) Group on Culture and Health, with the manuscript having been completed in September 2025.

The OMC report’s mandate was to recommend strategic actions that can unlock the potential of Culture and Health across the EU by utilizing the transformative power of cultural and creative activities to support better health outcomes and improved well-being. The OMC group focused specifically on identifying ways to ensure the “replicability of identified good practices” and to produce a final report compiling recommendations and good practices that could be shared across Member States. The report aims to help tackle barriers to scaling up successful interventions, such as unpredictable funding and the lack of clear policy frameworks.

“Film in Hospital” as an Emblematic good practice

The initiative, highlighted in the report as an emblematic example of the diverse landscape of Culture and Health initiatives, is a pan-European project that brings the magic of cinema to hospitalized children and youth. Its core goals are to support emotional well-being, reduce isolation, and promote creativity among young patients.

Key facts about the recognized initiative, which launched in 2017, include:

• The project has grown from 3 organizations to include 8 active partners across 8 EU countries, with plans to expand to 12 partners by 2026.
• It offers 24/7 access to high-quality European films and educational content.
• The service is delivered through digital platforms in 12 languages.
• It provides a curated catalogue of more than 150 films aimed at children aged 3 to 15, supplemented by study guides and video introductions from filmmakers and critics.
• The project also provides over 400 annual live workshops.
• It values inclusivity, accessibility, and cultural diversity, and actively involves children as co-creators.

The Significance of the Best Practice Status

Being featured as a successful good practice is vital because the OMC group is specifically seeking to move beyond short-term, ad hoc projects by promoting models that demonstrate quality impact and cost-effectiveness for replication and sustainability.

The impact of “Film in Hospital” is supported by evidence:

• Specific research involving over 400 young patients was conducted by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan (2023-24).
• This study shows that shared viewing enhances emotional engagement and learning, while offline activities in hospital wards deepen the impact.

Ultimately, this recognition supports the initiative’s goal to expand its reach, enrich its content, and establish a formal European network to share its transformative model, thus contributing directly to the OMC report’s vision of creating a sustainable delivery model for Culture and Health within the EU.