Cinemagic documentary wins platinum award at the world documentary awards in Bali

Cinemagic’s short documentary film, TRAINEE FILMMAKERS, has won a platinum award at the recent World Documentary Awards in Bali.

A special preview screening of the TRAINEE FILMMAKERS documentary will be aired during Cinemagic’s Festival in Los Angeles on 15 March 2018 to an audience of celebrities, film and music industry executives at the annual Cinemagic Los Angeles Showcase event in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows, Santa Monica.
TRAINEE FILMMAKERS is a short ‘behind the scenes’ documentary linked to Cinemagic’s second feature film GRACE AND GOLIATH, due out later this year.

A number of Cinemagic’s high profile patrons feature in the TRAINEE FILMMAKERS documentary including Liam Neeson, Saoirse Ronan and Paula Malcomson. The short film is narrated by Ian McElhinney.
Sammy Nutt from Killaloo, just outside Derry/Londonderry, was the director of TRAINEE FILMMAKERS. The documentary was produced by Joan Burney Keatings MBE, CEO of Cinemagic and producer of GRACE AND GOLIATH.
Sammy Nutt is one of Cinemagic’s greatest success stories. He is a former Cinemagic participant and took part in the organisation’s music directing talent lab workshop with the esteemed music/tv director Hamish Hamilton over 12 years ago. Sammy was chosen as the most promising director out of his class and took part in Cinemagic’s Young Filmmaker competition. He subsequently went on to secure a work placement as one of the directorial assistants at The Brit Awards in 2006 and 2007.

Now based in London, Sammy works as a director in prime time broadcast television, music promos, short films and branded online content with broadcasters, companies and brands such as the BBC, ITV, MTV Networks, Universal Music, Sony Music, American Airlines, Budweiser and Cadbury. He is working with talent such as Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Russell Brand and Simon Cowell.

Discussing the accolade, Sammy Nutt says: “Winning a platinum award at the World Documentary Awards is a brilliant achievement. The short film follows an amazing group 48 young film trainees, aged from 17 to 25, from Northern Ireland and Los Angeles over the course of six weeks, as they joined with industry professionals, to produce Cinemagic’s second feature film ‘GRACE AND GOLIATH’.

“The aspiring young filmmakers had the once in a lifetime opportunity to get involved in an invaluable training programme across disciplines such as directing, production, costume and make-up, sound, lighting and music composition. It is the only project of its kind that brings together young people from LA and Northern Ireland to work with industry professionals to make a feature film and secure their first ever film credit. It was an absolute honour and a privilege to be able to document their fascinating and inspiring journey in this documentary.”
Congratulating Sammy and all of the young people involved, Joan Burney Keatings MBE, Chief Executive of Belfast-based Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People, and producer of GRACE AND GOLIATH, says:

“Winning an international award of this nature is an amazing achievement and I would like to thank Sammy Nutt and all of those involved in making our TRAINEE FILMMAKERS documentary.

“Cinemagic offers young people real skills, opportunity, and affirmation – and it is priceless. We embrace the magic of film, television and digital technologies, and work tirelessly to educate, motivate and inspire young people through film screenings, industry workshops, practical masterclasses, filmmaking projects and outreach activities.

“Cinemagic breaks down boundaries, promotes inclusion, and introduces young people to other cultures, languages and traditions. It’s absolutely thrilling to see how our young trainees have gone on to work with various film and television companies such as the BBC, HBO, Disney, Sky Atlantic, RTE, and Bedlam Productions.”

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