Filmmaking Workshop with Nell Hensey

Acclaimed filmmaker Nell Hensey presents a special workshop for members of First Cut’s Youth Advisory Council. In it, she shares her experiences of creating her first films and entering the film industry as one of Ireland’s most promising up-andcoming directors.

Nell Hensey is a Filipino-Irish director and screenwriter from County Clare. Her work has been funded by The Engine Shorts Film Scheme, The Arts Council of Ireland, Screen Ireland and Virgin Media Television. Nell also worked as a Showrunner’s Assistant on a Netflix Original Series co-produced by the Obama’s production company Higher Ground. Her short films Try & Touch and

Baths both premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh 2022. Nell’s latest short film Good Chips, produced by Copper Alley Productions, premieres at the Dublin International Film Festival and will be broadcast on Virgin Media Television in 2023. Good Chips is the first piece of Irish cinema to depict the Vietnamese-Irish experience through the story of a family of former refugees who struggle to run a takeaway business in 1980s Dublin. Nell was also nominated for the Dublin International Film Festival’s prestigious Discovers Award 2023.

Animania – A Day of Animation!

Tuesday 7th & Wednesday 8th, 10am The Regal Cinema

Animation plays a major part in First Cut! Youth Film Festival because nothing conveys the magic of cinema like animation. That’s why we open the festival every year with a programme dedicated to animation for a local primary and secondary school audience.

Schools Workshop Screening

This year First Cut! Youth Film Festival provided animation workshops to over 300 young people in thirteen schools in Youghal and Midleton: Bunscoil Mhuire, Gaelscoil Choráin, Kyle National School, Kilcredann National School, Clonpriest National School, South Abbey National School, Park National School, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, CBS Midleton, St. John

The Baptist National School, Midleton College, St. Colmans Community College and Midleton Educate Together National School.

In Youghal, working with tutors Lisa McDonald, Kayde Middleton and Bekah Bustos, the workshops covered all the basic principles of hand drawn animation.

In Midleton, Flip Fest with animator Belinda Walsh enabled participants to create their own hand drawn flip books and optical toys.

The resulting short animations get their first screening today!

First Cut! would like to thank all participating schools for their support of these workshops which were made possible through the generous support of The Arts Council, Cork County Council, Youghal Credit Union and the YIFM Network.

Our Wonderful Tutors

Belinda Walsh is a visual artist who graduated from Crawford College of Art and Design. Her special interest is in the use of stop motion animation techniques as a wonderful platform to encourage children and adults to communicate stories, ideas and concepts. She is one of the founders and coordinators of Midleton Arts Festival.

Lisa McDonald is an Irish animator and director. She graduated with a First Class Bachelor of Honours Award in Animation from IADT. She has spent the past six years studying both animation and fine art and finds her passion as a filmmaker in the combination of the two. She has now honed her focus to experimental, stop-motion animation and visual design.

Kayde Middleton is an Irish professional visual artist based in Dublin. With over a decade of experience in creative roles and mediums, including design, illustration and spray paint. Kayde’s attention to detail and colourful artistic expression exhibit his rich cultural background, making his artwork both relatable and unique. Other interests include stop-motion animation and creative writing.

Rebekah Bustos is an IADT Design for Stage and Screen graduate working professionally as a Production Designer/Art Director and Visual Artist in Ireland. She works closely with those she collaborates with to create striking sets and designs that accentuate the visuals of a project.