Private Project

Movie Magic

Wannabe writer Kat & daydreaming director Justin loved the movies – until they tried to make one. Since then, they’ve been marking time as ushers at an indie cinema in London, waiting for the inevitable day their theatre goes bust. On the eve of the cinema’s closing, the pair make a wish to be ‘in motion pictures’ – and find themselves trapped inside the big screen.

To escape, they must navigate the worlds of classic film, becoming super spies, period heroines and a giant gorilla, all while their manager and Britain’s toughest film critic scramble to bring them back to reality.

Filmed on location at the beautiful Phoenix Cinema in London, Movie Magic is a very independent British romantic comedy, where cinema is the star.

  • Alex Kennedy
    Director
  • Michael Magarren
    Director
  • Alex Kennedy
    Writer
  • Michael Magarren
    Writer
  • Emma Gillespie
    Producer
  • Ilayda Arden
    Key Cast
    "Kat"
  • Michael Magarren
    Key Cast
    "Justin"
  • Ben Lund-Conlon
    Key Cast
    "Mr. Arsey"
  • Helen Green
    Key Cast
    "Heather"
  • Amber Doig-Thorne
    Key Cast
    "Kimberley Process"
  • Jonathan Hansler
    Key Cast
    "Dr Paul Cutler"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 27 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 8, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Alex Kennedy, Michael Magarren

Alex and Michael are a writing and directing partnership from Belfast in the north of Ireland.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

If, when writing Movie Magic, we had known we'd try to make it ourselves with no budget, we'd probably have cut down the number of iconic, multi-million-dollar film sets we'd have to recreate with sticky tape.

Thank goodness we didn't, because shooting this film over the summer of 2024 showed us just what is possible when a group of talented and dedicated creatives work together to achieve the same goal (funny laughs).

Not only were we shocked at the spaces that opened up to us when we asked nicely - including the Phoenix Cinema, the oldest and most beautiful cinema operating in London - we were flabbergasted at the outstanding quality of acting talent who agreed to star in the movie for free just because they loved the script.

Now it's finished, we're proud of the movie, which we hope is a tribute not just to classic cinema, but to the people who won't give up on human-made stories, whatever happens.