Cinemagic received over 700 entries to the 2023 Cinemagic Young Filmmaker Competition and the winning filmmakers were awarded at the weekend at a special ceremony that marked the culmination of this year’s Cinemagic Festival.

EXPERIMENTAL 

 

Highly Commended (Runner-Up) *AN* (Dir: Rui Wang)

 

Winning Film *DEALING BUSINESS* (Dir: Jacob Abban William O’Connor)

 

MUSIC VIDEO

 

Highly Commended (Runner-Up) *I WILL ONLY DANCE LATER* (Dir: Joana Caiano)

 

Winning Film *DISTURBED* (Dir: Liam O’Brien)

 

SHORT SHORTS

 

Highly Commended (Runner-Up) *ALL IN A DAY’S WORK* (Dir: Elena Ruiz Amann)

 

Winning Film *A STICKY SITUATION* (Dir: Pete Wormington & Brandon Hamilton)

 

DOCUMENTARY

 

Highly Commended (Runner-Up) *HOW TO BUILD A LIFE* (Dir: Matthew Reese)

 

Winning Film *SPIKED* (Dir: Ruby Warren & Mariella Southern)

 

ANIMATION

 

Highly Commended (Runner-Up) *TO THE BRINK* (Dir: Hugo Docking)

 

Winning Film *SKETCHBOOK* (Dir: James Watt)

 

FANTASTIC

 

Highly Commended (Runner-Up) *TERRAR* (Dir: Evan Chapman

 

Winning Film *GHOST INSURANCE* (Dir: Django Pinter)

 

DRAMA

 

Highly Commended (Runner-Up) *SUONG* (Dir: Evan Preston)

 

Winning Film *HANGNAIL* (Dir: Grace Connor)

The Festival programme funded by the Department of Communities through Northern Ireland Screen, offered unmissable film opportunities over the last four weeks, for young people, families, schools, and young filmmakers, with over 100 events in Ulster Museum, Queen’s Film Theatre, The Belfast Barge, Strand Arts Centre, Black Box, Accidental Theatre and Odeon Cinemas Belfast. Cinemagic is also funded by Belfast City Council and funded by Film Hub NI through the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund, awarding funds from National Lottery.