Northern Ireland-based Cinemagic expands globally with first Barbados film academy

•    The film charity expands international impact into the Caribbean for first time

•    Northern Ireland–Barbados business link emerged from an Invest Barbados business forum in Belfast last year

•    Twenty Barbadian young people will be mentored by a professional film crew, earning official film credits and contributing to long-term creative industry pipeline growth.

Northern Ireland-headquartered Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People is set to expand its international reach, with the launch of its first Caribbean short film academy in Barbados this month in association with the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados and the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust.

Filming is currently taking place, marking a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the award-winning youth film charity, a professional Barbadian film crew and 20 young people from across the island.

Founded in Belfast 37 years ago during the conflict in Northern Ireland—often referred to as the Troubles—Cinemagic has grown into the largest film and television festival for young people in the UK and Ireland.

What began as a cross-community initiative to bring Catholic and Protestant young people together through film has evolved into a globally recognised model of youth engagement and creative skills development, delivering projects in Los Angeles, across the Middle East and throughout Ireland and the UK.

Over the years, its work has attracted the advocacy of leading figures from the global film industry, including Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Farrell, Saoirse Ronan, Paula Malcomson and Oscar-winning writer and producer Julian Fellowes.

The Barbados initiative represents the next stage in Cinemagic’s global growth. The project was initiated following Invest Barbados’ inaugural business and investment forum in Northern Ireland last April, where film and location development were identified as priority growth sectors. After attending the event, Cinemagic Chief Executive Joan Burney Keatings MBE began discussions with senior representatives from Invest Barbados, the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) of Barbados, and Sandy Lane Charitable Trust.

(l-r) Madisa Alleyne from Division of Youth; Mrs Phillipa Challis, Trustee, Sandy Lane Charitable Trust; Sarah Goodingedhil from Barbados Community College; Maire Campbell, internationally acclaimed, award-winning screenwriter; Joan Burney Keatings MBE, Chief Executive, Cinemagic; Miryam Rolins and Maryland Gordon from Barbados Community College and Mr Mark Pendry, Trustee, Sandy Lane Charitable Trust. 20 March 2026 Northern Ireland-based Cinemagic expands globally with first Barbados film academy Belfast-headquartered Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People is set to expand its international reach, with the launch of its first Caribbean short film academy in Barbados this month in association with the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados and the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust. Filming is currently taking place, marking a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the award-winning youth film charity, a professional Barbadian film crew and 20 young people from across the island

Over the past six months, Cinemagic has been developing the script in collaboration with participants, mentored throughout the process by internationally acclaimed, award-winning screenwriter Maire Campbell. The story is close to the charity’s heart, tackling a challenge identified by the young people themselves. In this case, they chose to explore the impact of drugs on youth, drawing inspiration from many real-life stories.

Central to the production is Verdun House, a project of The Substance Abuse Foundation Inc. (SAF), a registered Barbados charity established in 1996 to address the harmful effects of drug and alcohol abuse. Rooted in a message of hope and healing, Verdun House reflects the belief that even in the darkest moments, recovery and renewal are possible. Verdun House, together with Bath Beach on the island’s east coast, will serve as the film’s two principal shooting locations.

The completed film will serve as an educational resource in schools across the island and is set to premiere in Barbados in summer 2026

A distinctive element of Cinemagic’s internationally recognised model is its partnership with local professional crews. In Barbados, industry professionals including a scriptwriter, director, producer and heads of department across costume, production and technical disciplines will mentor and work directly alongside the young participants. Each participant will receive an official film credit, providing tangible production experience and professional accreditation for their CV.

Joan Burney Keatings MBE, Chief Executive of Cinemagic, said: “Cinemagic was founded in Belfast to create opportunity and connection through film. Thirty-seven years later, that same ethos continues to shape our international work.

“Barbados represents an exciting and strategic new chapter. This is not simply about producing a short film. It is about working in partnership to build skills, capacity and a sustainable creative pipeline for young people.

“We have seen in Northern Ireland how investing in young creative talent can contribute to long-term sectoral growth. By collaborating with experienced Barbadian industry professionals and local partners, we are supporting the development of practical skills and real-world production experience that can open doors for the next generation.”

All funding for the Barbados project has been secured locally, thanks to support from the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados and Sandy Lane Charitable Trust.

This funding will enable the charity to engage 20 young people: 10 students from Barbados Community College studying film and media through the institution’s Mass Communication programme and 10 students from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment’s Digital Media Programme.

(l-r) Akil Franklyn, Corporate Communications Specialist, National Cultural Foundation (NCF) of Barbados; Joan Burney Keatings MBE, Chief Executive, Cinemagic; Kimaya Lucas from Division of Youth; Omar Beckles, Marketing Officer for Festival and Events, National Cultural Foundation (NCF) of Barbados; Allison Gotip, Director of Clinical Services at Verdun & Marina House.; Elchera Beckles, student, Barbados Community College; and Sarah Gooding-Edghill, student, Barbados Community College.

Carol Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados, said “The National Cultural Foundation is delighted to partner with Cinemagic on this project, as it fits quite seamlessly with our developmental programming in Film. It is a great example of cultural diplomacy at work and will provide yet another creative conduit for the dissemination of Barbadian storytelling seen through the imaginative lens of our young people.”

Mrs Phillipa Challis, Trustee, Sandy Lane Charitable Trust, a philanthropic foundation based in Barbados dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged children across the island, added:

“The Sandy Lane Charitable Trust is indeed delighted to support this initiative, which provides young people in Barbados with meaningful opportunities to develop their creativity, confidence and practical skills. Programmes such as this are particularly valuable as they open doors for young people, especially those from more disadvantaged communities, to explore new pathways and realise their potential. We are proud to partner with organisations such as Cinemagic and the National Cultural Foundation to support initiatives that inspire, empower and invest in the future of our children.”

Cinemagic’s CEO Joan Burney Keatings said the initiative also reflects the growing cultural and business links between Northern Ireland and Barbados.

Barbados has increasingly positioned itself as an attractive filming location, with recent international productions including Outer Banks and Succession.

The initiative also aligns with strengthening diplomatic and commercial ties between Northern Ireland, Ireland, Great Britain and Barbados. In recent years, Barbados has increased engagement with businesses across the island of Ireland, hosted trade missions and appointed representation in Dublin, while tourism links between the regions continue to grow.

If successful, Cinemagic intends to explore rolling out its film academy model to other islands within CARICOM, positioning Barbados as the first Caribbean partner in a wider regional programme.

For Cinemagic, the expansion illustrates how a Belfast-born organisation continues to translate local experience into international impact, using film as a platform for skills development, collaboration and long-term creative growth.

From Belfast and Dublin to Los Angeles and Amman, Cinemagic has consistently demonstrated that such collaborative models create pathways into employment, further training and industry placements for young people. In Los Angeles, the organisation has built a 17-year bridge with major studios and media organisations, culminating annually in an annual high-profile Gala Showcase attended by more than 600 invited industry guests. (PR)