Premiere screening for budding Northern Irish Filmmakers

Belfast’s arts and media community will come together on Thursday June 20 to support the talents of Belfast’s newest filmmakers who will be making their way to Warner Village, in Belfast's Odyssey Complex, as the premiere of their films gets underway on the big screen.
The young filmmakers are all part of Hothouse, a project at Northern Visions Media Centre, which has enabled 45 young people in Northern Ireland, aged between 10 and 18 years of age, to make films using a range of digital video technology.
Simon Wood, Project Director, Northern Visions, said: "Children and young people learn best through practice. Filmmaking is a terrific educational tool as it encompasses so many skills. Throughout the filmmaking process, the participation of the young people has been maximised.
"One of the films, 'Shpresa’s Birthday Party', made by young people with the Multi Cultural Resource Centre, has already been snapped up for screening at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh. The film highlights the story of Shpresa who made the long journey from Kosovo to Belfast. Here she made friends, some of whom travelled to Belfast from other parts of the world as she did," he added.
Marilyn Hyndman, Producer, Northern Visions, said: "June 20 is International Refugee Day, organised by the United Nations to help profile asylum seekers and refugees throughout the world. It is especially fitting that we screen 'Shpresa’s Birthday Party' on this day."
The films were made with the support of Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure's 'Creativity Seeds Fund', Community Relations Commission and First Light, a new initiative launched by the Film Council (UK), which supports young filmmakers.
The Northern Visions Hothouse films are the first to be made under this initiative in Northern Ireland.
"Young people have an appetite to learn about film and are brimming with imagination for story-telling which is what filmmaking is all about," said Catherine O'Shea, Director, First Light.
The films being screened are: 'The School Trip'; 'Off the Record'; 'Our Town Too'; 'Our Place'; 'Giants' and 'Shpresa’s Birthday Party'.
For further details visit, www.northernvision.org/hothouse or contact Northern Visions on 028 9024 5495.
(GMcG)