Belfast Film Festival
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1995 by author Laurence McKeown
, in its early stages of development the West Belfast Film Festival was part of Féile an Phobail. In its third and fourth year, it was autonomous and under the stewardship of Michele Devlin and Laurence McKeown
, the Film Festival ran as a citywide event and became the Belfast Film Festival in the year 2000. 2011 will see the eleventh festival roll out across the city. The Festival’s activities are entertaining and provocative, and in many instances provide an important platform for debate across the religious, social and cultural divides in Northern Ireland.
The presentation of innovative ways to screen film is one of the festival’s specialities; films can be viewed on a boat in the River Lagan
, with live piano accompaniment in St Anne’s Cathedral, collaborating with local talent such as Duke Special
and David Holmes
on audio visual performances and profiling unique architectural sites such as a screening of an episode of the TV series The Prisoner
in Church of Christ Scientist, Church in Belfast.
The Festival promotes film education and practical filmmaking skills and has attracted film industry guests such as Seamus Mc Garvey, Brendan Gunn and John Lynch
. THe Festival has a remit to showcase local talent and the best in new International cinema. Belfast Film Festival initiated a documentary film competition called The Maysles Brothers Award in 2006 to celebrate the best work in the medium.
, it was originally called the West Belfast Film Festival and was run by Féile an Phobail
. The festival became a citywide event in 2000.
Two weeks after the 2004 event, the festivals offices in Donegall Street's historic North Street Arcade were decimated by fire. Despite losing their base, entire history and all their records the festival recovered and was able to stage the event again in 2005. The 2005 festival was held from 7 April to 16 April. Opened by local actor Stephen Rea
, the festival featured screenings including Bullet Boy
, Les Choristes and Palindromes
. Jonathan Caouette
hosted a workshop about the making of his film Tarnation, which was the festivals closing night screening. A strong emphasis is put on showcasing the work of local film makers. Later in 2005 the festival hosted two drive-in
cinema nights as part of the Belfast Festival at Queens.
The 2006 festival featured premieres of locally made features GuinnessSize Me, Wilderness and The Secret Life of Words
. The festival also featured the inaugural Maysles Brothers award for best documentary feature. The award was won by Kim Longinotto
. In September 2006 the Festival organised an event called 'The Hills are alive', an outdoor film screening
at Belfast Castle
on Cavehill
.
The 7th Belfast Film Festival opened on 23 March 2007 with the premiere of Kenneth Branagh's
The Magic Flute
. Guests included Oscar winning actress Julie Christie
presenting her new film Away From Her
. Other festival guests included Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey
and screenwriter Jimmy McGovern
.
The 8th Belfast Film Festival took place on 10–19 April 2008, and hosted over 120 screenings, workshops, discussions, masterclasses and special events in a 10 day period. The festival also held an international documentary competition - Maysles Brothers Documentary Award and a national short film competition - Jameson Short Film Competition in association with Kodak.
The festival takes places in various venues around the city including the Strand Cinema
, the Waterfront Hall
, the Culturlann Centre, the John Hewitt Bar, Queen's Film Theatre
and the Black Box. For six years the festival has hosted the Belfast World Pong
Championships.
The 2009 Jameson Belfast Film Festival took place from 26 March to 4 April and featured the Irish premieres of movies including Salvador Dalí
biopic Little Ashes
and local feature film Cherrybomb
, featuring Harry Potter star Rupert Grint
.
Programmer: Stephen Hackett
Maysles Brothers Documentary Competition Curator: Cian Smyth
Festival Manager: Mave Dempster
Board of Directors: Brian Henry Martin (Chairman),Mark Cousins, Laurence McKeown, Louise O'Meara, Kevin Jackson, William Crawley
Patrons: Terry George
, David Holmes
, Pat Murphy
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
Audience award
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
Audience award
Outstanding contribution to cinema award
Life time achievement award
and the department for Social Development .
Laurence McKeown
Laurence McKeown is an author, playwright, screenwriter, and former volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike.-Background and IRA activity:...
, in its early stages of development the West Belfast Film Festival was part of Féile an Phobail. In its third and fourth year, it was autonomous and under the stewardship of Michele Devlin and Laurence McKeown
Laurence McKeown
Laurence McKeown is an author, playwright, screenwriter, and former volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike.-Background and IRA activity:...
, the Film Festival ran as a citywide event and became the Belfast Film Festival in the year 2000. 2011 will see the eleventh festival roll out across the city. The Festival’s activities are entertaining and provocative, and in many instances provide an important platform for debate across the religious, social and cultural divides in Northern Ireland.
The presentation of innovative ways to screen film is one of the festival’s specialities; films can be viewed on a boat in the River Lagan
River Lagan
The River Lagan is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 40 miles from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The River Lagan forms much of the border between County Antrim and County Down. It rises as a tiny fast...
, with live piano accompaniment in St Anne’s Cathedral, collaborating with local talent such as Duke Special
Duke Special
Duke Special, real name Peter Wilson, is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he has a distinctive look, with his long dreadlocks, eyeliner and outfits he describes as "hobo chic"...
and David Holmes
David Holmes (musician)
David Holmes is a Northern Irish DJ, musician and composer.-Career:Holmes began djing in Belfast from the age of 15. His first hit was the song "DeNiro", with Ashley Beedle, in 1992. In the early to mid 1990s he ran two club nights in the Belfast Art College known as Sugar Sweet and Shake Yer Brain...
on audio visual performances and profiling unique architectural sites such as a screening of an episode of the TV series The Prisoner
The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a 17-episode British television series first broadcast in the UK from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968. Starring and co-created by Patrick McGoohan, it combined spy fiction with elements of science fiction, allegory and psychological drama.The series follows a British former...
in Church of Christ Scientist, Church in Belfast.
The Festival promotes film education and practical filmmaking skills and has attracted film industry guests such as Seamus Mc Garvey, Brendan Gunn and John Lynch
John Lynch (actor)
John Lynch is an Irish actor from Northern Ireland.-Biography:John Lynch was born in the United Kingdom and moved to his father's native home in Corrinshego, County Armagh, near Newry, County Down in Northern Ireland as a child. He attended St Colman's College, Newry, a Catholic school...
. THe Festival has a remit to showcase local talent and the best in new International cinema. Belfast Film Festival initiated a documentary film competition called The Maysles Brothers Award in 2006 to celebrate the best work in the medium.
History
Co-founded in the mid-1990s by author Laurence McKeownLaurence McKeown
Laurence McKeown is an author, playwright, screenwriter, and former volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike.-Background and IRA activity:...
, it was originally called the West Belfast Film Festival and was run by Féile an Phobail
Feile an Phobail
Féile an Phobail , also known as the West Belfast Festival is a community arts organisation known for its August Féile . The organisation is prominent for its promotion of Irish and international culture...
. The festival became a citywide event in 2000.
Two weeks after the 2004 event, the festivals offices in Donegall Street's historic North Street Arcade were decimated by fire. Despite losing their base, entire history and all their records the festival recovered and was able to stage the event again in 2005. The 2005 festival was held from 7 April to 16 April. Opened by local actor Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in high profile films such as V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto...
, the festival featured screenings including Bullet Boy
Bullet Boy
Bullet Boy is a 2005 film directed by Saul Dibb, written by Saul Dibb and Catherine Johnson, and stars Ashley Walters. The film's original music was composed and performed by Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack, who released it as an album...
, Les Choristes and Palindromes
Palindromes (film)
Palindromes is a 2004 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz and a sequel to Solondz's 1995 film, Welcome to the Dollhouse...
. Jonathan Caouette
Jonathan Caouette
Jonathan Caouette is an American film director, writer, editor and actor. Caouette is the director and editor of Tarnation , an autobiographical documentary, and director of All Tomorrow's Parties about a cult music festival.-Films:...
hosted a workshop about the making of his film Tarnation, which was the festivals closing night screening. A strong emphasis is put on showcasing the work of local film makers. Later in 2005 the festival hosted two drive-in
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
cinema nights as part of the Belfast Festival at Queens.
The 2006 festival featured premieres of locally made features GuinnessSize Me, Wilderness and The Secret Life of Words
The Secret Life of Words
The Secret Life of Words is a 2005 Spanish film, directed by Isabel Coixet and starring Sarah Polley and Tim Robbins. The film was released on December 15, 2006 and grossed a worldwide total of $6,410,058.-Plot:...
. The festival also featured the inaugural Maysles Brothers award for best documentary feature. The award was won by Kim Longinotto
Kim Longinotto
Kim Longinotto is a British documentary film maker, well known for making films which highlight the plight of female victims of oppression or discrimination...
. In September 2006 the Festival organised an event called 'The Hills are alive', an outdoor film screening
Outdoor cinema
An outdoor cinema consists of a digital or analog movie projector, scaffolded construction or inflatable projection screen, and sound system....
at Belfast Castle
Belfast Castle
Belfast Castle is set on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland in a prominent position above sea level. Its location provides unobstructed views of the city of Belfast and Belfast Lough.-History:...
on Cavehill
Cavehill
Cavehill, historically known as Ben Madigan , is a basaltic hill overlooking the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It forms part of the southeastern border of the Antrim Plateau. It is distinguished by its famous 'Napoleon's Nose', a basaltic outcrop which resembles the profile of the famous...
.
The 7th Belfast Film Festival opened on 23 March 2007 with the premiere of Kenneth Branagh's
Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from Northern Ireland. He is best known for directing and starring in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays including Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from...
The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute (2006 film)
The Magic Flute is Kenneth Branagh's English-language film version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's singspiel Die Zauberflöte. The film is a co-production between France & the UK, produced by Idéale Audience and in association with UK's The Peter Moores Foundation.In November 2005, it was announced...
. Guests included Oscar winning actress Julie Christie
Julie Christie
Julie Frances Christie is a British actress. Born in British India to English parents, at the age of six Christie moved to England, where she attended boarding school....
presenting her new film Away From Her
Away From Her
Away from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival...
. Other festival guests included Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey
Seamus McGarvey
Seamus McGarvey BSC, born 29 June 1967 in Armagh, Northern Ireland, began his career as a still photographer before attending film school at the University of Westminster in London....
and screenwriter Jimmy McGovern
Jimmy McGovern
Jimmy McGovern is a BAFTA award-winning English television scriptwriter from Liverpool.-Early career:McGovern started his career working on Channel 4's soap opera Brookside in 1982, tackling many social issues such as unemployment.-Successes:...
.
The 8th Belfast Film Festival took place on 10–19 April 2008, and hosted over 120 screenings, workshops, discussions, masterclasses and special events in a 10 day period. The festival also held an international documentary competition - Maysles Brothers Documentary Award and a national short film competition - Jameson Short Film Competition in association with Kodak.
The festival takes places in various venues around the city including the Strand Cinema
Strand Cinema
The Strand Cinema is an independent four-screen cinema in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is one of the two remaining independent cinemas in Belfast, alongside the Queen's Film Theatre. It is located on the Holywood Road....
, the Waterfront Hall
Waterfront Hall
The Waterfront Hall is a multi-purpose facility, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, designed by local architects' firm Robinson McIlwaine. Practice partner Peter McGukin was the project architect....
, the Culturlann Centre, the John Hewitt Bar, Queen's Film Theatre
Queen's Film Theatre
The Queen's Film Theatre or QFT is a small independent cinema at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland that was founded in 1968. The QFT focuses mainly on art house, indie and world cinema and plays an important role in the cultural life of Belfast, in particular through contributions to...
and the Black Box. For six years the festival has hosted the Belfast World Pong
Pong
Pong is one of the earliest arcade video games, and is a tennis sports game featuring simple two-dimensional graphics. While other arcade video games such as Computer Space came before it, Pong was one of the first video games to reach mainstream popularity...
Championships.
The 2009 Jameson Belfast Film Festival took place from 26 March to 4 April and featured the Irish premieres of movies including Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
biopic Little Ashes
Little Ashes
Little Ashes is a 2008 Spanish-British drama film, set against the backdrop of Spain during the 20s and 30s, as three of the era's most creative young talents meet at university and set off on a course to change their world...
and local feature film Cherrybomb
Cherrybomb (film)
Cherrybomb is a drama film released in the United Kingdom in 2009, starring Rupert Grint. Filming began on location in Belfast on 7 July 2008, and lasted four weeks. The film involves nudity, drinking, drugs, shop-lifting and stealing cars. It was released to DVD on 23 August 2010 in the UK...
, featuring Harry Potter star Rupert Grint
Rupert Grint
Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint is an English actor, who rose to prominence playing Ron Weasley, one of the three main characters in the Harry Potter film series. Grint was cast as Ron at the age of 11, having previously acted only in school plays and at his local theatre group...
.
The Belfast film festival team
Festival Director: Michele DevlinProgrammer: Stephen Hackett
Maysles Brothers Documentary Competition Curator: Cian Smyth
Festival Manager: Mave Dempster
Board of Directors: Brian Henry Martin (Chairman),Mark Cousins, Laurence McKeown, Louise O'Meara, Kevin Jackson, William Crawley
Patrons: Terry George
Terry George
Terry George is an Irish screenwriter and director. Born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland much of his film work involves the Troubles in Northern Ireland...
, David Holmes
David Holmes (musician)
David Holmes is a Northern Irish DJ, musician and composer.-Career:Holmes began djing in Belfast from the age of 15. His first hit was the song "DeNiro", with Ashley Beedle, in 1992. In the early to mid 1990s he ran two club nights in the Belfast Art College known as Sugar Sweet and Shake Yer Brain...
, Pat Murphy
2007
Short film award- The White Dress Dir. Vanessa Gildea
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
- Nomadak TX Dir. Raul de la Fuente
2008
Short film award- James Dir. Conor Clements
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
- End of the rainbowEnd of the rainbowEnd of the Rainbow is a musical drama by Peter Quilter, centred upon the intriguing personality of Judy Garland in the months leading up to her death...
Dir. Robert Nugent
2009
Short film award- Of best intensions, Dir. Brian Durnin
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
- Presumed GuiltyPresumed Guilty (2009 film)Presumed Guilty shows the attempt by two young Mexican attorneys to exonerate a wrongly convicted man by making a documentary...
, Dir. Robert Hernandez
Audience award
- Cherry bombCherry bombCherry Bombs are approximately spherical shaped exploding fireworks, ranging in size from three-quarters-inch to one-and-one-half-inch in diameter...
Dir. Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn
2010
Short film award- Chronoscope Dir. by Andrew Legge
Maysles brother’s compotation (documentary)
- October Country Dir. by Michael Palmieri & Donal Mosher
Audience award
- Cupcake Dir. by Colin McIvor
Outstanding contribution to cinema award
- Ciarán HindsCiarán HindsCiarán Hinds is an Irish film, television and stage actor. He has built up a reputation as a versatile character actor appearing in such high profile films as Road to Perdition, The Phantom of the Opera, Munich, There Will Be Blood and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. His television roles include...
Life time achievement award
- Haskell WexlerHaskell WexlerHaskell Wexler, A.S.C. is an American cinematographer, film producer, and director. Wexler was judged to be one of film history's ten most influential cinematographers in a survey of the members of the International Cinematographers Guild.-Early life and education:Wexler was born to a Jewish...
Sponsorship
The festival is sponsored by the Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland ScreenNorthern Ireland Screen
Northern Ireland Screen is the national screen agency for Northern Ireland. The agency's purpose is to promote the development of a sustainable film, animation and television production industry.- History :...
and the department for Social Development .
See also
- Féile an PhobailFeile an PhobailFéile an Phobail , also known as the West Belfast Festival is a community arts organisation known for its August Féile . The organisation is prominent for its promotion of Irish and international culture...
- Cathedral Quarter Arts FestivalCathedral Quarter Arts FestivalThe Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival is an annual festival of music, comedy, theatre, art and literature that takes place in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The festival, now in its 12th year, primarily takes place in the first weeks of May in an area of Belfast known as the Cathedral Quarter, so called...
- Queen's Film TheatreQueen's Film TheatreThe Queen's Film Theatre or QFT is a small independent cinema at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland that was founded in 1968. The QFT focuses mainly on art house, indie and world cinema and plays an important role in the cultural life of Belfast, in particular through contributions to...
- Belfast Festival at Queen'sBelfast Festival at Queen'sThe Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's is an annual arts festival held in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The 49th Festival will take place from 14 to 31 October 2011.-History:...