Organizing a team-building activity around the theme of cinema offers your employees a unique experience and a fun way of sharing ideas. Whether it’s watching films together or participating in the making of a short film as a team, this activity is ideal for strengthening bonds between colleagues and developing their creativity. In this article, discover our best film ideas for a memorable team building experience with TeamBooking.
120 ideas for team building in cinema
1. Comedy
- Intouchables (2011) – France
- Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (2008) – France
- Le Dîner de Cons (1998) – France
- La Grande Vadrouille (1966) – France
- Les Tontons Flingueurs (1963) – France
- The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain (2001) – France
- The First Name (2012) – France
- Les Bronzés (1978) – France
- The Goat (1981) – France
- The Visitors (1993) – France
2. Drama
- La Haine (1995) – France
- A Prophet (2009) – France
- La Vie d’Adèle (2013) – France
- Les Intouchables (2011) – France
- Caché (2005) – France
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) – France
- La Môme (2007) – France
- Amour (2012) – France
- De Rouille et d’Os (2012) – France
- Les Choristes (2004) – France
3. Adventure
- Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – USA
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) – New Zealand/USA
- Jurassic Park (1993) – USA
- The World of Narnia: The Lion, the White Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) – USA
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) – USA
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – USA
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) – New Zealand/USA
- Jumanji (1995) – USA
- Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Australia/USA
- Avatar (2009) – USA
4. Science fiction
- Blade Runner (1982) – USA
- Inception (2010) – USA
- Matrix (1999) – USA
- Back to the Future (1985) – USA
- Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) – USA
- Interstellar (2014) – USA
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – USA
- The Fifth Element (1997) – France
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – USA
- Planet of the Apes (1968) – USA
5. Action
- Die Hard: Die Hard (1988) – USA
- Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Australia/USA
- Gladiator (2000) – USA
- The Transporter (2002) – France
- Taken (2008) – France
- The Professional (1981) – France
- John Wick (2014) – USA
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) – New Zealand/USA
- Mission: Impossible (1996) – USA
- Lethal Weapon (1987) – USA
6. Romance
- Amélie (2001) – France
- The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain (2001) – France
- La La Land (2016) – USA
- Titanic (1997) – USA
- Pride and Prejudice (2005) – UK
- Love at First Sight (1999) – UK/USA
- The Notebook (2004) – USA
- 500 Days Together (2009) – USA
- Time of an Autumn (2002) – USA
- Before You (2016) – USA
7. Animation
- The Lion King (1994) – USA
- Toy Story (1995) – USA
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988) – Japan
- Chihiro’s Journey (2001) – Japan
- Shrek (2001) – USA
- The Incredibles (2004) – USA
- Ratatouille (2007) – USA
- The Moving Castle (2004) – Japan
- The Snow Queen (2013) – USA
- Despicable Me (2010) – USA/France
8. Fantastic
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – UK/USA
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) – New Zealand/USA
- Edward Scissorhands (1990) – USA
- Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – Spain/Mexico
- Big Fish (2003) – USA
- Coraline (2009) – USA
- Stardust (2007) – UK/USA
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the White Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) – USA
- Dark Crystal (1982) – USA/UK
- The World of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) – USA
9. Horror
- The Sixth Sense (1999) – USA
- The Exorcist (1973) – USA
- The Shining (1980) – USA
- Alien: The Eighth Passenger (1979) – USA
- Get Out (2017) – USA
- That (2017) – USA
- The Others (2001) – Spain/USA
- The Orphanage (2007) – Spain
- Midsommar (2019) – USA/Sweden
- Paranormal Activity (2007) – USA
10. Biopic
- La Môme (2007) – France
- Gandhi (1982) – UK/India
- A Beautiful Mind (2001) – USA
- Raging Bull (1980) – USA
- The King’s Speech (2010) – UK
- A Wonderful Story of Time (2014) – UK
- Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) – USA/UK
- Rocketman (2019) – UK/USA
- Schindler’s List (1993) – USA
- Selma (2014) – USA
11. Documentary
- Tomorrow (2015) – France
- The March of the Emperor (2005) – France
- Home (2009) – France
- The Seasons (2015) – France
- Le Peuple Migrateur (2001) – France
- Super Size Me (2004) – USA
- Inside Job (2010) – USA
- 13th (2016) – USA
- Salt of the Earth (2014) – France/Brazil/Italy
- Searching for Sugar Man (2012) – Sweden/UK
12. Thriller
- Seven (1995) – USA
- The Departed (2006) – USA
- Zodiac (2007) – USA
- Prisoners (2013) – USA
- Gone Girl (2014) – USA
- La French (2014) – France
- Léon (1994) – France
- Les Rivières Pourpres (2000) – France
- Mystic River (2003) – USA
- Millennium: The Men Who Didn’t Love Women (2011) – USA/Sweden
Cult films to build team spirit
What better way to set the tone for your team building than by watching iconic films that promote team spirit? Beyond mere entertainment, these cinematic works convey fundamental values such as solidarity, cohesion and perseverance. Among the must-see films are:
- The 12 Bastards (1967), a classic in which a troop of soldiers must learn to work together to succeed in a perilous mission.
- Ocean’s Eleven (2001), a thrilling film about a gang of burglars who must pool their skills to pull off an ingenious heist.
- The Circle of Missing Poets (1989), a moving story of camaraderie and passion for poetry in a strict boarding school.
Thought-provoking and emotive, these films are an excellent introduction to your team-building event.
Our Cinema Team Building activities :
Become actors and directors during a team building activity
To take the cinematic experience a step further, get your employees directly involved by inviting them to make their own film. Divide them into teams and assign each one a different type of film: comedy, action, drama, etc. They will then have to work together to devise a script, choose the characters and take on the various production-related roles (cameraman, sound recordist, editor, etc.). Some examples of genres to explore
- The adventure film, where participants have to stage the adventures of a group of explorers facing multiple obstacles.
- The parody, which gives collaborators the opportunity to humorously rework well-known references.
- The suspense film, ideal for exercising their narrative talents and sense of plot twists.
This activity brings out everyone’s hidden talents and encourages communication between team members. At the end of the day, organize a screening of the short films produced and award prizes for best film, best actor, etc.
Analyze films and shorts to reinforce professional skills
Films are not just a source of entertainment: they can also be used as a basis for developing key corporate skills. By analyzing key scenes from a management, communication or decision-making perspective, your employees will learn to identify winning strategies and behaviors. Here are a few ideas for themes to be addressed:
- Negotiation and persuasion: revisit memorable scenes in which characters succeed in convincing their interlocutor, such as Marlon Brando in The Godfather (1972) or Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992).
- Leadership and motivation: study how different leaders lead their troops to victory, whether Maximus in Gladiator (2000) or William Wallace in Braveheart (1995).
- Creative thinking and problem-solving: take inspiration from ingenious heroes such as Indiana Jones (1981-2008) or MacGyver (1985-1992) to stimulate your teams’ imagination.
Then ask your staff to discuss these examples together, and think about how they might use them in their day-to-day work. This original and fun approach will encourage them to take a fresh look at their own professional practices.
Organize a themed movie night for your team building event
To round off your event on a high note, plan a movie night featuring films related to your team building theme. Choose films that evoke emotion and encourage sharing, and don’t hesitate to ask your employees for suggestions to better meet their expectations. Here are a few ideas for themes you can exploit:
- Family sagas, such as The Godfather, Sixth Sense or the Rocky series, to symbolize loyalty and mutual support between colleagues.
- Musicals, such as Mamma Mia!, La La Land or Grease, to create a festive, relaxed atmosphere.
- Period films, such as Titanic, Pride and Prejudice or The Three Musketeers, to immerse your colleagues in a world away from home and stimulate their imagination.
- Silent Cinema Team Building
This evening will also be an opportunity to toast your company’s past and future successes, while forging shared memories around the pleasure of cinema.
