Afro Mic secure double Channel 4 commission

Titanic: Our Secret Histories' to tell the forgotten stories of passengers aboard the Titanic

Access documentary ‘Secrets of the Christmas Market’ films in Belfast this December

Northern Ireland’s Afro Mic Productions has secured commissions for two new documentaries for Channel 4, with support from Northern Ireland Screen.

Emma-Rosa Dias from Afro-Mic Productions said: "I am immensely proud to secure two new commissions for Channel 4, both filmed in Northern Ireland, which showcase our depth of culture and the variety of stories we have to tell.  The passengers on board Titanic were a diverse mix of people from across the globe and to this day many of their stories remain untold. In this emotionally powerful film, we share some of the many fascinating forgotten stories of people from the ship, with their descendants. ’Secrets of the Christmas Market' will bring joy into people's homes this December, as we meet the people who bring Christmas to life at Belfast's much loved festive event.  It's a film bursting full of warmth, wit, and emotion.”

Secrets of the Christmas Market is an observational documentary filmed in and around Belfast in the lead-up to Christmas. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the organisers and vendors who bring the festive spirit to the huge Belfast Christmas Market at City Hall.

With over a million visitors last year alone, the market’s organisers must plan year-round to create this extraordinary event. 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.

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.

Emily Shields said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Belfast’s own Afro-Mic Productions, who are following the behind-the-scenes efforts of those bringing Christmas festivities to the heart of Belfast in this magical fast turn-around documentary airing on Channel 4 this Christmastime.”

Secrets of the Christmas Market was commissioned for Channel 4 by Commissioning Editor for Specialist Factual, Emily Shields. Executive Producer for Afro-Mic Productions is Emma-Rosa Dias and Emily Jones. It is directed by Katy Lock and produced by Sheila Risk. The programme is funded by Channel 4 and GroupM Motion Entertainment’s Diverse Indies Fund. The Diverse Indies Fund was set up to support small and medium-sized ethnically diverse-led independent production companies to produce new projects. The fund is overseen by Vivienne Molokwu, Senior Commissioning Editor at Channel 4 and Deep Sehgal, Head of Creative Diversity at GroupM Motion Entertainment.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the Titanic’s wreckage, Channel 4 have also commissioned Titanic: Our Secret Histories to 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. 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 film follows contributors from North America and the UK who will 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. The film reveals some shocking details about what happened on that fateful night, and when the contributors come together at the end of the film, we realise some 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.”

Titanic: Our Secret Histories was commissioned for Channel 4 by Head of Lifestyle, Jo Street, Commissioning Editor for Lifestyle, Deborah Dunnett and Commissioning Editor for Specialist Factual, Emily Shields. It was produced for Channel 4 by Afro-Mic Productions and Exec Produced by Emma-Rosa Dias and Paul Crompton, directed by Nick Watts with production funding support from Tourism Ireland, Cineflix and Northern Ireland Screen. Cineflix Rights will also distribute the film internationally.