SPARKS 25 is a new project as part of our 25th anniversary year. We have recruited a team of three Belfast-based freelance film programmers to deliver a public screening programme catering for underserved areas of the cultural cinema audience.
These areas are:
- Belfast’s significant Global Majority and Eastern European communities.
- Working class communities and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds
- Disabled People
The SPARKS Programmers will curate a series of public screenings to be delivered from September 2025 to March 2026. As early career Programmers will be advised under a mentor scheme within Belfast Film Festival and Docs Ireland. As the project is geared towards engaging underserved areas of the audience, screenings will take place in both traditional theatrical cinema settings and community centres/ other non-theatrical sites.
The SPARKS will:
- Generate ideas for screenings based on a prior knowledge of cinema.
- Deliver screening programmes from idea to exhibition.
- Research and acquire screening licenses within budget.
- Research and invite guest speakers and other personnel.
- Liaise with technical staff on specifications of screenings.
- Deliver introductions and post-screening Q&As.
- Assist with the marketing and promotion of events.
