Filming is set to get underway in Belfast for two new Channel 4 documentaries including one that promises to reveal the ‘Secrets of the Christmas Market’.
Afro Mic Productions is also set to proceed with the commissions which includes a documentary to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the Titanic wreckage.
The first project is an observational film that will be shot in and around the city in the run-up to December 25 to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the organisers and vendors who plan year-round to ensure they bring the festive spirit to City Hall.
It coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Belfast Christmas Market which will seek to transport more than a million anticipated visitors back to the Victorian era when it opens on Saturday with a Dickensian-theme.
Emma-Rosa Dias from Afro-Mic Productions said a “magical fast turn-around” is required as the finished film will air this Christmastime.
The Executive Producer also expressed immense pride at securing the two new commissions which will showcase the depth of culture and the variety of stories NI has to tell.
A statement issued by NI Screen, which is supporting the projects, said: “This documentary takes viewers into the heart of the preparations, following the hard-working teams responsible for building the 106 chalets and sourcing traders from 30 different countries around the world.
“These traders travel to Belfast to sell their unique Christmas wares alongside locals, contributing to the market’s diverse and magical atmosphere.
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“As the grounds of City Hall are transformed into a stunning festive spectacle, the race is on to erect the towering Christmas tree, finish the build and switch on the lights in time for the crowds, who travel from all over the UK and beyond to shop and celebrate the season.”
The second film ‘Titanic: Our Secret Histories’ will capture and share the “forgotten stories” of some of the passengers and crew who survived and perished in the 1912 disaster.
“Hearing from their living descendants this emotional film will document the impact the disaster had on families across the world,” the statement from NI Screen said.
“Working with world-renowned historians to investigate their ancestry, the descendants have been given a rare and emotional opportunity to learn about their relatives’ part in Titanic’s history and share their story.
“With exclusive access to the world-leading visitor experience, Titanic Belfast and leading historians (Nick Barratt, author of ‘Lost Voices from the Titanic: The Definitive Oral History’ and Leila Salloum Elias author of ‘The Dream and Then the Nightmare: The Syrians who Boarded the Titanic, the Story of the Arabic-Speaking Passengers’), this new piece of the puzzle will shift the focus from the wealthy and famous passengers who sailed, and pay homage to the international and third class passengers and crew aboard the ship.”
The emotional film follows contributors from North America and the UK who work with the experts to delve through personal and official records to help shape the secrets and inspiring narratives of their descendants that have been lost for decades.
It promises to reveal “some shocking details” about what happened on that fateful night and “disturbing details of the disaster have been hidden in plain sight for over 100 years”.
Deborah Dunnett, Commissioning Editor for Channel 4 said: “Afro-Mic have produced an incredibly poignant film which Is deeply rooted in Northern Irish history and a celebration of Belfast. The level of access and research that has gone into this film is inspired and they have produced a completely fresh and unique take on many stories from the disaster.”