Speaking at the launch in the Movie House Cinema, Dublin Road the Minister added: “Cinemagic’s festival now in its 18th year, is a very important event in the festival calendar, as the largest children and young peoples’ film event in the UK and Ireland.
“This year’s festival programme has a very impressive range of activities on offer for the thousands of children who participate in the festival each year. From Masterclasses to gala screenings, from the Talent Lab to the Jury Competition and, of course, Young Filmmaker 2008 – there is clearly something here for all our young people.
“Through the Festival children from across Northern Ireland will have opportunities to get involved in moving image and to explore and develop their creative talents.”
Cinemagic uses film, television and all forms of moving image to entertain, educate and broaden understanding and awareness of the media industries among young people aged between 4 - 25 years.
Commenting on the opportunities that Cinemagic creates for the young the Minister continued: “The Festival is not only about young people seeing and hearing films but it is also about them getting real hands on-experience and an understanding of how films are made, animated, directed, classified and promoted. There is a wealth of creative talent out there among our young people, which Cinemagic is playing a part to help bring to the fore.
“The Festival will have a number of high profile industry figures hosting children’s workshops, which I am sure the children will be excited to have the opportunity to meet, such as Mike Leigh OBE, Mark Kermode and Cinemagic patron Dermot O’Leary.”
Concluding the Minister added: “Cinemagic has once again put together a outstanding programme to entertain, and enthuse all by what the Festival has to offer, beginning with tonight’s screening of Niko and The Way To The Stars.”