Good Vibrations
As biopics go, this is a biggie. Writers Glen Patterson and Hot Press-er Colin Carberry certainly knew they had some dynamite raw material on their hands when they decided to capture the life of the Godfather of Belfast Punk on film. That Good Vibrations does Terri Hooley’s remarkable life justice is a testament to the strength of their screenplay and the expert direction of Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn of Cherrybomb fame. Named after the music store Hooley opened at the height of The Troubles, Good Vibrations charts his rise in the music scene and encounters with the great and good of rock ‘n’ roll. As the man who discovered The Undertones and released ‘Teenage Kicks’ on his influential Good Vibrations record label, his influence can never be understated. Everything punk in Northern Ireland ran through him. Starring Jodie Whittaker, Dylan Moran, Andrew Simpson and Richard Dormer as Hooley, Good Vibrations has been a long time coming and finally had its world premiere at Belfast’s Ulster Hall in May. 
 
Antonia Campbell-Hughes
Talk about an over-achiever! Northern Irish actress Antonia Campbell-Hughes has been acting since 2004, and got her big break playing the daughter of Rick Spleen (Jack Dee) in BBC’s popular comedy series Lead Balloon. In the past three years, Campbell-Hughes has really caught the critics’ attention, giving a stellar performance in Alexandra McGuinness’ Lotus Eaters as well as working with Oscar-winning director Jane Campion on Bright Star. This year, the young actress impressed in the psychological thriller The Other Side Of Sleep, with her intense and impressive performance which has earned her an European Film Promotion ‘Shooting Star Award.’ You’ll also be seeing Campbell-Hughes in Storage 24 this month, a sci-fi horror directed by Johannes Roberts. Oh, and did we mention that before her acting career, this beauty had her own hugely successful fashion label?

Ciaran Hinds
Veteran actor Ciaran Hinds is no stranger to success, having built a reputation as a versatile character actor on television, stage and film. Hailing from Belfast, Hinds’ career didn’t exactly get off to a glamorous start, playing as he did one half of a donkey in the local pantomimes! But he’s more than made up for it with his incredible roles in films like The Road To Perdition, There Will Be Blood, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows and much more. And proving that talent will trump youth every time, the past year has seen him busier than Jude Law at a singles’ night. Having put in a stellar performance in the critically lauded Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in 2011 and starred in the Oscar-winning short The Shore, Hinds also appeared in horror flick The Woman In Black alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance with Nicolas Cage and of course the Disney sci-fi John Carter. Currently filming a spy thriller with Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall, this Northern Irish treasure continues to elevate everything he’s in.

Martin McCann
Becoming an almost ubiquitous presence in both Irish and international drama, Belfast actor Martin McCann has proven that being Bono was merely the starting point on his journey to success! Coming from the humble beginnings of the Divis Flats area of Falls Road in Belfast, McCann’s talent and passion saw him quickly rise up the ranks to achieve huge success. Having played the Irish rockstar in Killing Bono, McCann has also starred in Richard Attenborough’s Closing The Ring and the Warner Brothers International hit Clash Of The Titans. And proving that no hard work goes unrewarded, last year McCann beat out actors as accomplished as Cillian Murphy and Liam Neeson to win Best Actor at the Irish Film and Television Awards for his performance in Swansong. McCann also has extensive theatre work, including roles in Anthony & Cleopatra, Clockwork Orange and To Be Sure. His forthcoming features include Kieran Walsh’s Jump, James Marsh’s IRA thriller Shadow Dancer, Terry George’s comedy Whole Lotta Sole and the forthcoming television series Titanic: Blood and Steel.

Colin Morgan
No offence to Harry Potter fans, but we were far more enchanted by the magical performance of this Armagh native than we ever were by Mr. Radcliffe. The 26-year-old played the lead role in the BBC television series Merlin, a role that earned him many awards and accolades. He also appeared in Doctor Who, which earns him serious cool-geek credit in our books. Having trained as a theatre actor, this handsome fella is remaining true to his roots by doing a lot of stage performances, making regular appearances in the Royal Court Theatre and the Young Vic. However, fear not, you can also see him in your living-room – so to speak. Last year he gave a beautiful performance in the Irish drama Parked opposite Colm Meaney, playing the homeless but charming drug addict Cathal, and also starred in the drama Island alongside Natalie Press. Both films are available on DVD now, and with several projects in the pipeline, we expect to be seeing much more of this young actor in the next year!

Game Of Thrones
If you haven’t heard of this show, we want to know what magical, middle-Earth cave you’ve been hiding in, because the chances are it’s also housing all those missing weapons of mass destruction, an entrance to Narnia and all our lost socks. HBO’s medieval fantasy series has only been gracing our television screens since last year, and already it’s become an international phenomenon, with three seasons being commissioned after only two episodes had been aired. Starring Sean Bean, Richard Madden, Sophie Turner, Northern Irish actress Michelle Fairley and Ian McElhinney, its intrigue-filled plot and dark tone render it a kind of Lord Of The Rings/Sopranos hybrid – and it’s filmed primarily in Paint Hall Studios in Belfast, with Sandy Brae, Castle Ward, Cairnecastle and Tollymore Forest also making an appearance in the show. The show has done wonders for the area, and government estimates state that it has caused £43 million to be spent in the regional economy. Invest NI also expects the series to generate additional tourism revenue.

Shadow Dancer
Written by successful journalist and author Tom Bradby and directed by Oscar-winning director James Marsh (Man On Wire), Shadow Dancer is a Belfast-set thriller that’s due for release in August. The wonderful Andrea Riseborough plays single mother Collette McVeigh; a Republican living in Belfast with her mother and hardliner IRA brothers. When she is arrested for her part in an aborted IRA bomb plot in London, an MI5 officer Mac (Clive Owen) offers her a choice: lose everything and go to prison for 25 years, or return to Belfast to spy on her own family. With her son’s life in her hands, Collette chooses to place her trust in Mac and return home, but when her brothers’ secret operation is ambushed, suspicions of an informant are raised and Collette finds both herself and her family in grave danger. Starring a host of talented Irish actors like Domhnall Gleeson, Aiden Gillen and David Wilmot to name but a few, the taut thriller is sure to get people talking about its intimate portrayal of a woman caught up in the dangerous politics of ‘90s Northern Ireland.