Reaching for the stars

Reaching for the stars

26 November 2014

AFTER months of preparation, 12-year-old Josh Smyth is ready to mingle with the best in show business as filming begins for ‘A Christmas Star’.

The talented actor from Crossgar is one of 11 young cast members cast out of 5,000 hopefuls who auditioned and will now perform alongside the likes of Liam Neeson, Suranne Jones and Bronagh Waugh.

Home-grown A-lister Liam is narrating the the heart-warming story of a spirited young girl who charms an entire village. 

The life-changing opportunity will see Josh mentored by Oscar and BAFTA  winners throughout the process, with industry professionals including Academy Award wining producer Gareth Ellis Unwin (The King’s Speech).

Locations including Rockport School in County Down, Belfast City Hall and the beautiful scenery around Glenarm will provide the back.

The ground-breaking project marks the beginning of a year of 25th anniversary celebrations for Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People.

Josh, currently taking three weeks off school from Lagan Integrated College, is a
relative newcomer to acting after being talent-spotted just two years ago.

His parents first realised he may have a talent when Josh enjoyed a dance workshop with family friend Mikey Heath, also from Crossgar, who became famous after securing second place with his dance troupe on Britain’s Got Talent.

After the workshop, Mikey reported back to Josh’s parents that their then nine year-old showed great flair.

Keen to nurture his ability, Josh’s parents put him forward for an audition for the innovative performing arts project The Rainbow Factory.

Although he knew about his audition success since early summer, Josh kept details of the movie under wraps until last month when he was given the green light to talk about his role of Dicey — part of a childhood gang similar to the famous young clan in The Gooneys.

“I started off loving to dance and then I realised I also loved drama,” he said at the time.

“I discovered acting almost by accident because I went to the Rainbow Factory because of dancing with Mikey Heath.

“This is a great surprise.”

The Fall actress Bronagh Waugh, who will appear in A Christmas Star, said she was excited to be performing alongside budding young actors such as Josh.

“I have been involved with Cinemagic for a number of years, both as a participant and now as a patron, and I am so impressed with the work that it does with young people who want to get into the creative industries,” she said.

“A Christmas Star is a delightful and I love the whole concept of actors like myself working alongside the young cast and crew on this film.”

Cinemagic chief executive Joan Burney Keatings, said the Christmas feature film is bringing young people from different cultural backgrounds together.

“The industry professionals will give invaluable insights to the world of film making across various film disciplines ranging from directing, acting and production, to script editing, film composition and costume and make-up,” she added.

“The young people will finish the project with a wealth of skills, experience and, most importantly, their first credit on a feature film.”