CINEMAGIC CELEBRATES SUCCESS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND FILMMAKERS AS CURTAIN CLOSES ON FILM FESTIVAL.

The curtain closed on the Coca-Cola Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival after two action packed weeks of international film screenings, workshops, masterclasses, and industry discussions, with a special awards ceremony on Friday 30 November at Storm Cinemas, Belfast.

Hosted by Citybeat’s Marc Mallett, the awards ceremony celebrated the success of the winning competition films announced by the young Cinemagic Jury who watched and reviewed all the festival films.

The winning films in the following categories were:

Best Short for a Children’s Audience: "The Sunday Man" (American Film Institute)

Best Feature for a Children’s Audience: "Rudy the Return of the Racing Pig" (Bavaria International)

Best Short for a Teenage Audience: "Teeth"
(Diva Media, Ireland)

Best Feature for a Teenage Audience: "Zozo"
(Swedish Film Institute)

The ceremony, followed by a special screening of "It’s a Wonderful Life" was a celebration of new and upcoming talent which shone through over the two days of Talent Lab masterclasses hosted by top names in the film and television industry. In a fantastic mix of creativity, fun and learning, the Cinemagic Talent Labs provided practical advice with unique hands-on experience for 16-25 year olds in areas such as Acting with Pauline Quirke (Birds of a Feather), Television Presenting with Dermot O’Leary (X Factor), Writing for Film with Martin Duffy (The Boy from Mercury), Magazine Publishing with Barry McIlheney (Emap) and Radio Production with Marc Mallett (Citybeat).

In addition, young filmmakers from across Northern Ireland and the UK shared their talents with captive audiences at Cinemagic Young Filmmaker in association with First Light Movies, with a showcase of their films short listed from hundreds of entries, which took place in Queen’s Film Theatre Belfast from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 November. Winning films and filmmakers were:

Films made by under 15 year olds:
Winner: "Skirmish"
Directed by: George Morris

Highly recommended: "Trick or Treat"
(Studio On Halloween School Project)

Highly recommended: "The Mummy’s Pyramid"
Directed by: Jay Hodge

Films made by 15-17 year olds:
Winner: "The Great Hat Heist
Directed by: Lewi Firth Bolton

Highly recommended: "Blow Out"
(Mornington and Donegall Pass Community Centres)

Highly recommended: "One Week Later"
(Ferndown Upper School)

Films made by 18-25 year olds:
Winner: "Sweat Box"
Directed by: Dan Orrells

Highly recommended: "Handheld"
Directed by: Bryan Stewart

Highly recommended: "All is Well"
Directed by: Martin Lye