Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People announces its ‘Little Bard’ season as part of BFI Presents: Shakespeare on Film, a UK-wide series of screenings and events celebrating the enormous impact the playwright’s life, work and legacy has had on cinema.
Cinemagic will present a series of Shakespeare inspired films in Belfast for young people including the family animation ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’, on 11th June in Queen’s Film Theatre, comedy drama ‘Bill’featuring the cast of Horrible Histories and Yonderland (together playing 40 roles in the film), on 18th June in Queen’s Film Theatre (booking www.queensfilmtheatre.com) and the much loved Disney’s ‘The Lion King’, on 30th July, in The Ulster Museum (booking www.wegottickets.com).
Cinemagic’s Little Bard also includes two bespoke workshops, ‘Script to Screen Filmmaking’ for 8-12 year olds , on 4th and 5th June in The Ulster Museum’ (booking www.wegottickets.com) and ‘Animation and Shakespeare’ with Barry Purves, on 12th June, in The Crescent Arts Centre (booking www.wegottickets.com)
Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) and led by Film Hub London, BFI Presents: Shakespeare on Film will see over 300 screenings and events taking place across the UK with multiplexes, independent cinemas, film clubs, pop-ups and community venues the length and breadth of the UK enticing audiences with a broad range of must-see filmic interpretations of Shakespeare’s work and special events featuring leading cinematic lights. The programme promises a series of big screen revelations that will enthral and entertain everyone from dyed-in-the-wool bard aficionados to casual cinemagoers keen for a fresh new filmic experience.
Chris Shaw, Cinemagic Programmer, said: “ We are looking forward to showcasing several Shakespeare inspired films for young people and sharing celebrations of his work with new young audiences through our ‘Little Bard’ season this month and next. We will also be providing opportunities for young people to examine his stories and characters and create their own Shakespeare inspired story in our filmmaking workshops, and in doing so contribute to a new generation’s appreciation of Shakespeare’s work.”
Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Shakespeare might have been a man of the theatre but his work offers endless possibilities to film-makers. Somehow the power of his stories, characters, his all too human resonant and relevant themes of power, politics, family, romance, tragic conflict and joyous comedy, manages to transcend barriers of time and the English language such that specific cultural settings can be interpreted by filmmaking artists, in all different kinds of locations, contexts and languages. I am hugely grateful to the BFI and FAN for working in partnership with Film London to deliver this wealth of Shakespeare programming and activity around the whole of the UK.”
Ben Luxford, BFI Head of UK Audiences, said: “Shakespeare’s work is arguably at its most accessible through film, and the BFI Film Audience Network exists to make great cinema available to all – we’re pleased to support this range of fantastic events that promise to bring the very best cinematic interpretations of Shakespeare’s work to audiences right across the UK.”
BFI FAN spans the length and breadth of the UK and connects cinemas, film archives, education organisations, community groups and others, to bring a wide range of films to audiences and help build interest in British independent and specialised film. BFI FAN members have fully embraced Shakespeare on Film, creating a spectacular programme that promises to bring the bard’s cinematic interpretations to UK audiences in bold, brave and exciting ways.
For more information about Shakespeare on Film, visit www.bfi.org.uk/shakespeare
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For further press information, please contact:
Claire Shaw, Cinemagic Press and Marketing Officer
claire@cinemagic.org.uk
028 90 311 900
Notes for editors
Cinemagic is a multi-award winning festival that embraces the magic of film and television to educate, motivate and inspire young people. Established in 1989, Cinemagic has developed a worldwide reputation for excellence in children’s programming. Cinemagic caters for all young people aged under 25 with all levels of interest in film, to watch, learn and enjoy, or to find out more about a career in the industry. Cinemagic presents films for young people and films made by young people. Cinemagic strongly believes that the medium of film is a vital tool in personal and social development, stimulating discussion among young people about culture and the world around them.
About the BFI
The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:
• Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema
• Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and future generations
• Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK
• Investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work
• Promoting British film and talent to the world
• Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences
About the BFI Film Audience Network
The BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) is a ground-breaking initiative that gives audiences across the UK the opportunity to see a diverse range of films in a cinema setting. For filmmakers, getting films onto cinema screens is a highly competitive business, particularly for specialised films which includes archive, documentary, independent and foreign language films. The BFI FAN aims to change this.
With £8.7 million of Lottery funding over four years (2013-2017) the BFI FAN works with cinema exhibitors, film festivals, educators, film societies, community venues, film archives and other organisations in their regions or nations to boost audiences for film across the UK.
The film hub partners which drive audience engagement across the UK comprise: Broadway Nottingham; Chapter, Cardiff; HOME, Manchester; Film London; Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast; Scottish Film; the University of Brighton; Showroom Sheffield; Bradford; and Watershed, Bristol.
www.bfi.org.uk/FAN
About Film Hub London
Managed by Film London, Film Hub London aims to ensure audiences across the capital can discover film in all its diversity. With a broad and diverse membership of exhibitors and part of the nationwide BFI Film Audience Network (FAN), the Hub encourages small-scale exhibitors to take more risks and large-scale exhibitors to expand their scope. Working to boost audiences and expand the film culture offer in Greater London, the Hub’s focus is outside the city centre and offers funding, training, screening programmes and audience research. Film Hub London is the lead Hub for Shakespeare on Film. www.filmlondon.org.uk/filmhub
