Belfast

"A poignant journey back to a childhood charged with trauma." —Hollywood Reporter

"Kenneth Branagh’s remembrances may be idealized, but with 'Belfast' he has written a charming, rose-tinted thank-you note to the city that sparked his dreams and the parents whose sacrifices helped them come true." —The New York Times

Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Kenneth Branagh, Belfast is a poignant story of love, laughter and loss in one boy’s childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland at the beginning of The Troubles in 1969.

The film had its world premiere at the 48th Telluride Film Festival, won the People's Choice Award at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, and was named one of the best films of 2021 by the National Board of Review. Director Kenneth Branagh described this as his most personal film.

The cast stars Golden Globe nominee Caitríona Balfe, Academy Award winner Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, and introduces 10-year-old Jude Hill. Dornan and Balfe play a passionate working-class couple caught up in the mayhem, with Dench and Hinds as sharp-witted grandparents.

The film is based on real events from Kenneth Branagh's childhood. Belfast has been compared to Alfonso Cuarón's Roma (2018). Both semi-autobiographical films are named after cities, shot in black and white, written by the director, and set in the 1970s. And now, both have garnered Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

Belfast received seven nominations at the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and seven nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama; the film won a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.

Join us for our annual showcase of the best films released last year. This is your opportunity to watch several of the nominees and winners from the 94th Academy Awards on the big screen.

Check out the rest of our Oscar Week 2022 program!