Local girls get to grips with ‘Reel’ politics

Three Ballymena students were among 24 young women who came together in Belfast last week for some ‘Reel Politics’.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Mar 2015, 11:55 BST
Front Row, Collette McAllister, Jessica Hanly, Belfast Lord Mayor, Nichola Mallon, Aine Quinn, Lucy McClelland, NI Assembly Education Officer, Back Row, Elle McMaster, Roisin Brown and Becca Millar at the launch of Cinemagic's Reel Politics film project promoting the benefits of young women in politics to mark international women's day. The Reel Politics project which runs this week is a partnership between Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Assembly and Cinemagic aimed at young women aged 16-25 years old.Front Row, Collette McAllister, Jessica Hanly, Belfast Lord Mayor, Nichola Mallon, Aine Quinn, Lucy McClelland, NI Assembly Education Officer, Back Row, Elle McMaster, Roisin Brown and Becca Millar at the launch of Cinemagic's Reel Politics film project promoting the benefits of young women in politics to mark international women's day. The Reel Politics project which runs this week is a partnership between Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Assembly and Cinemagic aimed at young women aged 16-25 years old.
Front Row, Collette McAllister, Jessica Hanly, Belfast Lord Mayor, Nichola Mallon, Aine Quinn, Lucy McClelland, NI Assembly Education Officer, Back Row, Elle McMaster, Roisin Brown and Becca Millar at the launch of Cinemagic's Reel Politics film project promoting the benefits of young women in politics to mark international women's day. The Reel Politics project which runs this week is a partnership between Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Assembly and Cinemagic aimed at young women aged 16-25 years old.

Collette McAllister (20), a QUB Law & Politics student, 16-year-old Elle McMaster from Ballymena Academy and Jessica Hanley (17) from Slemish College were welcomed to Belfast City Hall by Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon as they prepared to begin a week of tuition on filmmaking, from script to screen.

They had five days to create three original short films, shooting in Belfast City Hall, Parliament Buildings and the Northern Ireland Science Park, focusing on the benefits of young women in politics.

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The films will be screened at Belfast City Hall and the NI Assembly to mark International Women’s Day on Friday, March 6.

The ‘Reel Politics’ project is a partnership between Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Assembly and Cinemagic International Film and Television for Young People.

Lord Mayor Cr Mallon said: “While some progress has been made in relation to gender equality, women remain a minority when it comes to politics in Northern Ireland so it is exciting to see an innovative project like this aimed at encouraging young women to consider what they could do to improve things.

“I know there was great competition to be accepted on to this project and I have no doubt we have some future female leaders taking part,” she said.

Related topics:BelfastBallymenaNichola MallonPolitics