Meet Film Director, Chris Butler, at Cinemagic preview of ParaNorman!

To mark the programme launch of the 2012 Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Under 12s, Cinemagic and ODEON Cinemas Belfast will screen a special preview of 3D stop-motion animation, ParaNorman, on Thursday 6th September at 7.00pm, with thanks to Universal Pictures International Ireland. Chris Butler, writer/director of ParaNorman will be in attendance to introduce the film and young film enthusiasts can put their questions to Chris during a post-film Q&A as well as get the chance to hear from Cinemagic about the opportunities that they can avail of when the festival returns to the city from 5th-19th October.

In ParaNorman, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all, moronic grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits. Following LAIKA’s groundbreaking Academy Award-nominated animated feature Coraline, ParaNorman is only the second stop-motion animated feature to be made in 3D.

ParaNorman is being directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler, from Mr. Butler’s original screenplay. Mr. Fell was director of The Tale of Despereaux and Flushed Away. Mr. Butler was storyboard supervisor on Coraline and storyboard artist on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride.

The voice cast also includes Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Tucker Abruzzi (Good Luck Charlie), Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show), Alex Borstein (Family Guy), Jodelle Ferland (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), Jeff Garlin (Toy Story 3), John Goodman (Monsters, Inc.), Bernard Hill (Titanic), Academy Award nominee Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Leslie Mann (Rio), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (How to Train Your Dragon), and Tony and Emmy Award winner Elaine Stritch (30 Rock).

Arianne Sutner, animation producer on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight are producing ParaNorman. Academy Award winner Brian Van’t Hul (King Kong, Coraline) is the movie’s visual effects supervisor; Emmy Award winner Nelson Lowry (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride) is its production designer; and Tristan Oliver (Fantastic Mr. Fox, the Academy Award-winning Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit) is the director of photography on ParaNorman. Focus Features holds worldwide distribution rights to ParaNorman, and Universal Pictures International will release it overseas.

How to book ParaNorman tickets: It is advisable to purchase advance tickets from ODEON Cinemas Box Office at www.odeon.co.uk or telephone the FILMLINE on 0871 22 44 007 or book on site at ODEON Cinemas, Victoria Square, Belfast. ODEON ticket prices apply.

The action packed Cinemagic programme for under 12s (5th-19th October) will include special film previews from around the world, film and television workshops and masterclasses hosted by industry professionals, filmmaking competitions and Q&A’s to motivate, educate and inspire young people. www.cinemagic.org.uk

Cinemagic is funded by Northern Ireland Screen supported by DCAL.

Cinemagic is part funded by Belfast City Council and Northern Ireland Tourist Board

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 Press Information: Claire Shaw, Cinemagic Press and Marketing Officer

Tel 028 90 311 900 Email [email protected]