The Cinemagic Film and Television Festival for Young People marked its official return to the city of stars last night at its 2023 Gala Showcase. The Belfast-based festival, known for being an award-winning charity whose pursuit is it educate, inspire and motivate young people over the past three decades, brought together young creatives for one week in Los Angeles to embark on a whirlwind of learning experiences in film, television, broadcasting, musical theatre, and much more. This led them to a special night where they could showcase their hard work and determination to the entertainment industry.

Cinemagic has nurtured young talent, engaging with over 40,000 individuals aged 4-25 annually in Belfast, Dublin, London, New York, and Los Angeles. Its impact is priceless, as nearly one million people have benefited and continue to from its programs and international film productions.

Cinemagic joined forces with IGNITE, a Belfast-based youth empowerment program, and Film2Future, a non-profit organization promoting youth filmmaking in Los Angeles, to provide a transformative experience for young creatives. Forty different Belfast and Los Angeles schools were assembled to celebrate creativity and promote artistic expression.

Throughout the week, the students had the opportunity to engage with guest speakers specializing in various aspects of production and storytelling. The producers of The Late Late Show with James Corden and the Rachael Ray Show shared their insights, while special studio lot tours unveiled the behind-the-scenes magic of the film industry.

To top off the end of the week, Cinemagic celebrated the young student’s hard work and dedication at the 2023 Showcase Gala sponsored by and hosted at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, where guest speakers congratulated their enthusiasm and gave some words of advice as well as putting them in touch with top talent and executives in the film and entertainment industry. Another cause for celebration was the IGNITE student’s completion of the week which was their final step in graduating from the IGNITE program.

Michelle Hatfield, Director of Corporate Services at George Best Belfast City Airport, summed up the excitement, saying, “What an absolutely incredible week it has been for these students who journeyed to LA IGNITE, our youth leadership program, aims to inspire the next generation to reach for the stars, and what better way to do that than through this once-in-a-lifetime event in the city of dreams? It has been an absolute honor to be part of it.” The night, hosted by Darren Kennedy and Jenn McGuirk, showcased three short films produced by Cinemagic. Yellowstone producer Bob Yari sent a congratulatory message to the Cinemagic Class of 2023.

Cinemagic CEO Joan Burney Keatings MBE said: “We are so thankful to our incredible sponsors and partners in supporting us to provide inspiring talks, tours, and masterclasses with top talent in film and television production in the heart of moviemaking in LA from 23rd to 28th June. We look forward to showcasing Cinemagic as a global player in the creative industries and celebrating Northern Ireland’s success stories internationally.

Sponsored by Fairmont Hotels, Northern Irish Connections, NI Bureau, and Aer Lingus, the Cinemagic 2023 Showcase attracted a star-studded crowd. The event was buzzing with celebrity guests, film executives, and even politicians who were keen to support Cinemagic’s mission, including Jeri Ryan from Star Trek, CJ Franco of FBoy Island fame, and Lynne Curtin from Real Housewives of OC were just a few of the familiar faces gracing the Gala Showcase. And that’s not all—Benjamin Onyango from God’s Not Dead, singer and actress Shannon K, TV Host and Producer Tyrone Jackson and Amber Friendly from The Morning Show also joined the star-studded lineup, along with Maxwell Canfield (Grease 2) and his wife, Juliet Mills.

As if the event couldn’t get better, attendees could bid on exclusive items in a silent auction that would go toward Cinemagic’s programs. The Los Angeles Dodgers hit a home run at the event and generously donated an autographed jersey from the legendary Mookie Betts. As the event drew to a close, attendees were treated to fabulous gift bags filled to the brim with goodies from supportive companies like Bug Bite Thing, The LA Dodgers, and Gaviña Gourmet Coffee—the perfect grand finale to a week filled with inspiration, talent, and dreams taking flight. The red carpet is rolled up, but Cinemagic has staked its place as an inspiration to all. What’s left now is to watch these budding individuals grow into their potential to do great things on and off the screen.