connect 2018 • 38 GRACE AND GOLIATH: TAKING BIG STEPS FROM LA TO BELFAST 46 young trainee filmmakers completed filming in Belfast in June, 2017 on Cinemagic’s second feature film Grace and Goliath. The young people from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and USA had the unique chance to earn their first credit on a feature and train alongside industry professionals led by director Tony Mitchell (The Bible, AD The Bible Continues, Primeval, Supervolcano and Flood) and actors Ciarán McMenamin (Paula, Saving The Titanic), Emy Aneke (The Predator and Star Trek: Beyond) and Aoibhinn McGinnity (Quarry, Love/Hate). Grace and Goliath follows the success of Cinemagic’s first feature film, A Christmas Star, made in 2014-15, which gave 40 young filmmakers an invaluable opportunity to learn from top industry professionals and earn their first credit on a feature production. A Christmas Star premiered in Belfast, New York and Los Angeles; it was screened in Ireland on UTV and BBC on Christmas Day and was distributed across numerous territories including platforms such as Netflix USA and Australia and BBC iPlayer. With the experience from this Cinemagic opportunity, trainees have gone on to secure work with various film and television companies in the last two years including BBC, HBO, Disney, Sky Atlantic, RTE, and Bedlam Productions. CINEMAGIC