Young journalists from Children's Express prepare to become film critics at this year's film festival by going behind the scenes at Cinemagic.
| In normal cinemas, you only see the big Hollywood films, not other stuff made specifically for young people. |
"Cinemagic started 11 years ago," press officer Matt Curry told us. "A small group of people thought that it would be a great idea to show young people films that they would not normally get a chance to see. In normal cinemas, you only see the big Hollywood films you don't get a chance to see other stuff that is made specifically for young people."
Running alongside film shows are master-classes and workshops for young people interested in making movies, acting or directing. Directors, actors, producers and camera operators will be working with young people during the festival and hope to produce a short film or a piece of drama.
Mr Curry said that the nature of entertainment and education is changing in line with technology. "Cinemagic could not just stay as a film festival because it had to move on to embrace new technology and what want young people want."
Organising the festival is a mammoth task. "It takes basically all year to organise this event, " said Cinemagic programmer Nicki Fulcher. "When this festival ends I have to start researching for 2001. I look at festival programmes from all over the world, I see if there is anything that appeals and try to get the film to see it," she said.
"An enjoyable part of my job is going to other film festivals. This year, I was in Amsterdam and I was invited to be on their festival jury," Ms Fulcher added. She said some excellent films have been produced in Scandinavian countries but admits that young people might find it difficult to concentrate on the sub-titles.
"By and large our activities take place during the day and you have to bear in mind schools' and teachers' requirements. So we try and go with films that might be studied in schools. This year we have Animal Farm and Hamlet," she said.
About the team
This article was produced by Lisa Skinner (16), Thomas Kielty (15), Michael Leathem (14), Amanda McAteer and Sheena Hall (13), Siobhan Quinn (12), and Conor Magowan-Greene (10). It was published in the Irish News.
