NEWSShowing Up for the Kids — Real Housewife of OC's Lynne Curtin & Star Trek's Jeri Ryan Amongst the Stars Who Attended CINEMAGIC’s Annual LA Charity Gala in Santa Monica
June 29 2023, Published 2:53 p.m. ET
Last night at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, Lynne Curtin who you may remember from The Real Housewives of OC and Star Trek legend Jeri Ryan were amongst the guests of the Cinemagic Film and Television Festival, where the non-profit hosted its 2023 Gala Showcase.
From a signed LA Dodgers jersey by Mookie Bets to return flights from LAX to Ireland (gifted by Aer Lingus), guests were invited to join in for the auction on the night.
Even Bob Yari, joint CEO of Studio 101 and one of the producers of Yellowstone, sent a congratulatory message to the gala that was presented on the night.
Cinemagic chose kids from schools across LA and Northern Ireland to partake in a week-long program in LA. Throughout the week, the students had masterclasses with some of the biggest names in the industry. The producers of The Late Late Show with James Corden and the Rachael Ray Show shared their insights, while special studio lot tours at Universal and Warner Bros unveiled the behind-the-scenes magic of the film industry.
Hosts for the evening were Irish television presenter Darren Kennedy and actor Jenn McGuirk.
Fairmont Hotels, Northern Irish Connections, NI Bureau, and Aer Lingus sponsored the event.
The galas showcased three short films produced by Cinemagic, including ABIA, which screened at Ireland’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York as part of its International Women’s Day celebration.
Irish Ambassador to the US, Geraldine Byrne Nason, was in attendance and mingled with the young talents, forging connections and creating pathways to success.
Cinemagic is the largest film and television festival designed for and by young people in the UK and Ireland; around 40,000 young people (aged 4-25) participate in Cinemagic events in Belfast, Dublin, London, New York, and Los Angeles each year. Since its establishment, Cinemagic has engaged with almost 1 million young people.
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CEO of Cinemagic Joan Burney Keatings MBE explained how “We are so thankful to our incredible sponsors and partners in supporting us to provide inspiring talks, tours, and masterclasses with top talent in film and television production in the heart of moviemaking in LA from 23rd to 28th June. We look forward to showcasing Cinemagic as a global player in the creative industries and celebrating Northern Ireland’s success stories internationally.”
Gift bags were handed out, which included products such as Bug Bite Thing, The LA Dodgers, and Gaviña Gourmet Coffee.
The head of Northern Ireland Connections, Moira Loughran, expressed similar hopes. Moira adds, “[we are] Delighted to be partnering with Cinemagic as a sponsor of the Los Angeles Gala as we see it as a fantastic opportunity to be able to help and showcase the immense talent of our young people from Northern Ireland.”
Other guests included CJ Franco (FBoy Island), Singer and Actress Shannon K,Benjamin Onyango (God’s Not Dead), Amber Friendly (The Morning Show), Maxwell Canfield (Grease 2), and his wife, Juliet Mills, who all walked the red carpet run by Jane Owen Public Relations and her team.
