Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Cinemagic is a charitable festival for young people. It was conceived as a cultural antidote and a creative arena for self-expression for all young people during the Troubles.
For 34 years the organisation has provided a vital outlet of independent cinema showcasing and promoting a programme that offers a unique window to the world. The sustained quality and considered nature of the festival’s cultural programming and the calibre of industry events, guests and film showcases marks Cinemagic out as the premier youth arts organisation in Northern Ireland.
As well as providing an essential safe and welcoming space for local cinema-lovers, and the arts community in general, the role the festival has played in uniting communities and its dedication to promoting inclusivity is to be celebrated.
Cinemagic delivers festivals and productions in Belfast, Dublin, London, New York, Los Angeles.
In 2022 Cinemagic embarked in its first project in the Middle East in Jordan to produce the film Abia with partner Generations for Peace supported by the Irish Embassy Jordan. The film examines gender-based violence and it has already been met with success having won Best Foreign Language Film at The British Short Film Awards in 2022.
Cinemagic passionately believes in the huge benefits to its audiences from visiting creatives and speakers attending the festival to present their work as well as sharing advice, tips, and knowledge to the next generation of media and film professionals. Hearing first hand from those working in the industry inspires and ignites active and memorable learning.
In recent years the festival has welcomed industry leaders including Danny Boyle, Kenneth Branagh, Mike Leigh, Liam Neeson, Saoirse Ronan, Alan Silvestri, and M. Night Shyamalan.
Cinemagic inspires and motivates young people through film and creative opportunities in the form of festivals, film productions, training opportunities, education programmes and outreach programmes including talks, workshops, masterclasses and Q&As.
In the last 6 years Cinemagic has produced two feature films, A Christmas Star and Grace and Goliath, and just in the last 2 years has produced 22 short films and behind the scenes documentaries.
Patrons include Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Saoirse Ronan, Julian Fellowes, Colin Farrell, Dermot O’Leary, Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Suranne Jones and many more.
