The Cinemagic International Film Festival for Young People has unveiled its 36th annual Belfast programme, set to illuminate cinema screens this autumn!
Funded by the Department for Communities through Northern Ireland Screen, Belfast City Council, and Film Hub NI through the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund, awarding funds from National Lottery,Cinemagic offers unmissable opportunities for all movie enthusiasts, families, schools, students and emerging filmmakers from 28 September to 2 November 2025.
Festival goers will have the chance to experience a thought-provoking world cinema programme, contemporary shorts, classic and brand-new family and teen films, over 50 film industry masterclasses and workshops with both international and home-grown talent, the Young Filmmaker Competition welcoming young directors from across the UK and Ireland, and Jury panels for budding movie critics, with over 125 events across Belfast.
Gala Screenings
The 2025 line-up features over 80 film screenings and a highlight of the Gala Screenings for families is the special preview of the much- anticipated cinematic adventure Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie from DreamWorks Animation, starring Laila Lockhart Kraner, four-time Grammy Award winner Gloria Estefan and Academy Award nominee Kristen Wiig.
A special preview of Sketch, directed by Seth Worley, is not to be missed, a film gem that celebrates empowerment, whilst cleverly balancing horror and humour, and special previews of Night of the Zoopocalypse, and The Super Elfkins, will delight audiences in animated journeys of fantasy and adventure!
Premieres
With over 15 Northern Ireland Premieres, the film programme offers a feast for film fans including a stunning portrayal of the early life of artist Frida Kahlo, in Hola Frida, and the coming of age journey, Future Council, directed by Damon Gameau, that follows eight children on the ultimate school excursion, a road trip across Europe to meet with powerful leaders and find solutions to ecological challenges.
Talent Lab
11 Talent Lab workshops are on offer, hosted by acclaimed screen industry guests, who will inspire emerging filmmakers aged 16-25. Guests include Golden Globe winner and three-time Academy Award nominee, Writer and Director Dean DeBlois, and four -time BAFTA and Academy Award nominee, VFX Supervisor, Christian Manz, who will talk about their careers and working in Northern Ireland on the 2025 hit, live-action, film How to Train Your Dragon. Joining them are Academy Award winning Hair and Make-Up artist, Nadia Stacey (Poor Things, Cruella), three-time IFTA nominated and IFTA winning Director, Hannah Quinn (The Boy That Never Was), acclaimed Northern Ireland actor Michael Smiley (Bad Sisters), TV Script-Writer, Lee Gant, (The Traitors), Casting Director, Amy Blair (Carla Stronge Casting), and Producer Patrick McGarvey, a key figure behind the Emmy-winning Netflix docuseries Welcome to Wrexham.
The multi-award-winning Belfast based music and sound studio, Score Draw Music will host a Sound Design workshop and the film critic Anna Smith and producer and agent Hedda Lornie Archbold, co-founders of the world’s leading podcast about women in film, Girls on Film, will delve into the A-Z of film journalism and podcasting.A spotlight will shine on the craft of creating character teeth for screen, with the head of Fangs FX, Chris Lyons, hosting a special talk and demonstration. Renowned throughout the industry for over 40 years, Chris, who has almost 1000 film credits to his name, and his team have created prosthetic teeth for Harry Potter, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic World, Skyfall and Game of Thrones, and most recently, 28 Years Later.
Let’s Talk Movies
The Let’s Talk Movies strand features a screening of family favourite Nanny McPhee and Q&A with Director Kirk Jones, new live action adventure, Akiko, The Flying Monkey and Q&A with Director Veit Helmer, acclaimed book to film adaptation, Kensuke’s Kingdom and Q&A with Director Kirk Hendry, and a cast and crew screening of Spilt Milk, an engaging 1980s Dublin set story about a young boy who dreams of becoming a detective like his TV hero, Kojak. This year’s Mark Kermode Film Night will thrill cinema fans on Halloween night with the horror treat, Tod Browning’s 1931, Dracula!
Anniversary Screenings
Audiences will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Young Sherlock Holmes as the Festival welcomes and reunites original cast members Nicholas Rowe (Sherlock Holmes), Alan Cox (John Watson) and Sophie Ward (Elizabeth Hardy) for a Q&A screening. A special showing of Back to The Future takes place on the eve of its 40th Anniversary re-release, and as part of a books and toys theme, all generations can enjoy the 40th Anniversary of The Care Bears Movie and a 30thAnniversary of beloved classic animation Toy Story.
Cinemagic Young Filmmaker Competition and Awards
Emerging filmmakers from the UK and Ireland will be celebrated at the Young Filmmaker Competition, with short film screenings in genres including experimental, animation, drama, fantastic, documentary, short shorts and music video, and the weekend will culminate with an awards ceremony for over 200 filmmakers.
Pop-Up Cinema comes to The Belfast Barge, and the Cinemagic Young Audiences Supporting Foodbanks initiative returns in partnership with South Belfast Foodbank and Causeway Foodbank. Creativity Corner and Film School offerings will introduce young people to TV Presenting, SFX, Retro Game Design, and Digital Filmmaking.
Joan Burney Keatings MBE, Cinemagic CEO commented “We are proud and excited to present the 36th Edition of Cinemagic Film Festival in Belfast. As an innovator in the area of film exhibition for young people, and providing engagement opportunities in the screen industries, we want to show how Cinemagic inspires its participants, offers a window to the world, and in doing so celebrates diversity. With support from our many partners and funders the Department for Communities through Northern Ireland Screen, Belfast City Council and Film Hub NI, Cinemagic can motivate young people, nurture talent, and develop the skills of tomorrow’s creatives. I really encourage everyone to get involved and enjoy the wonder of cinema.”
Richard Williams, CEO at Northern Ireland Screen, said: “Northern Ireland Screen is delighted to support another varied and diverse programme of film screenings, masterclasses and education events at the Cinemagic Belfast Festival. Through our continued core funding, supported by the Department for Communities, we acknowledge what a contribution the festival plays in film culture, education, and training for young people across Northern Ireland. We wish the festival well in the month-long event.”
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly added “Cinemagic plays a vital role in nurturing emerging talent and spotlighting the incredible growth of our local film industry and it continues to deliver real social impact through initiatives like ‘Young Audiences Supporting Foodbanks. We are so proud of our thriving creative industries – and Cinemagic plays an important role in introducing our young people to opportunities in this growing sector. As Lord Mayor, I’m proud that Belfast is home to a festival that so clearly reflects our Belfast Agenda vision of a culturally vibrant, outward-looking city”.
For tickets visit www.cinemagic.org.uk
