Hawthorne School District Teens Set for Cinemagic Film Production

20 Teenagers from Hawthorne School District are embarking on a groundbreaking filmmaking initiative with Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People.

Under the guidance of industry professionals, the teenagers will learn key skills and insights as part of an initiative that involves 6 pre-production masterclasses ahead of a weekend film shoot from 7th- 10th March.

Cinemagic aims to utilise film and filmmaking to ignite active and memorable learning and to offer invaluable opportunities to young people so they can voice opinions and create a short film on issues that are passionate to them.

The award-winning Belfast based Cinemagic Film and Television Festival for Young People has been delivering film festivals and programs in Los Angeles since 2010 and its ethos is underpinned by inspiring and motivating its participants via the screen industries.

Cinemagic Chief Executive, Joan Burney Keatings MBE said “With thanks to the Hawthorne School District partners we are able to provide a hands-on, practical and inspiring filmmaking production for teenagers who will get the chance to work both behind and in front of the camera.

The project will offer a wide range of masterclass talks covering all aspects of a film production team and the importance of collaboration and ideas sharing. We are excited to get started and the enthusiasm from the students and educators sets the scene for a brilliant few days of learning and networking and building significant personal growth that will help them fulfil their aspirations.

The project marks the beginning of Cinemagic's 2024 program in LA with a weeklong event taking place in June, visiting film studios and learning from creative industry professionals uniting teenagers from Northern Ireland and Los Angeles who have never engaged with the arts in this way before.”

“The team from Cinemagic has stoked the creativity of our students, allowing them to put their amazing talents on display,” said Hawthorne School District Superintendent Dr. Brian Markarian. “Through their interaction with industry professionals, they are deepening their knowledge of film production, while working collaboratively to take a project from start to finish. This has been an unforgettable experience for everyone involved and we are truly so grateful to Cinemagic for their partnership and support.”

About Cinemagic

Cinemagic (www.cinemagic.org.uk) is an award-winning film charity established 35 years ago during the Northern Ireland Troubles to unite young people from different communities and teach them about film making through film exhibition, workshops, masterclasses, and film productions. In addition to its highly successful annual film festival in Belfast, it has produced multiple short films on a range of issues including homelessness, mental health, discrimination, gender-based violence, climate change and the environment. It has also produced feature two feature films, A Christmas Star and Grace and Goliath, both of which trained aspiring young filmmakers.

Patrons include Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Saoirse Ronan, Pierce Brosnan, Dermot O'Leary, Julian Fellowes, Suranne Jones. Cinemagic engages with 40,000 young people each year. It educates the next generation of filmmakers, from camera operators and sound engineers to actors, writers, and directors, with a particular focus on inclusion and those who might face barriers entering the industry.

Cinemagic delivers programmes and festivals in Belfast, Dublin, London, New York, Los Angeles, and most recently the Middle East, where it produced ‘Abia', a short film in partnership with Jordanian NGO Generations for Peace, with Syrian and Jordanian young people, to profile the issue of gender-based violence. ‘Abia' supported by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Ireland in Jordan won Best Foreign Language Film at the 2022 British Short Film Awards. It was screened in New York, during the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the UN's observance of International Women's Day 2023. Cinemagic was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the City of LA at a screening of Abia in the Consulate General of Mexico. The certificate commended the film charity for its talent and courage shown while producing the film and how it inspired a call-to-action and important conversations around gender-based violence.

Other significant Cinemagic productions that helped spotlight social issues include climate change film ‘Heaven on Earth', made with the support of the British Consulate LA and the GREAT programme, and ‘So What If It Rains' made to mark the 25th Anniversary of The Good Friday Agreement.

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