The Belfast Film Festival (BFF) is an annual film festival in Northern Ireland with an attendance over 25,000. In 2022, it launched its International Competition program. BFF includes the Docs Ireland international documentary festival, as well as an Audience Development and Inclusion program. The festival also sponsors year-round film screenings around Belfast.
| Opening film | 3 November 2022 |
|---|---|
| Closing film | 12 November 2022 |
| Location | Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Language | English, Irish, mixed |
| Website | http://www.belfastfilmfestival.org |
History and description
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Co-founded in 1995 by Michele Devlin and writer Laurence McKeown, the festival began as a part of Féile an Phobail, and operated as the West Belfast Film Festival (WBFF) from 1995 to 2000.[1] In its third and fourth years, WBFF ran as an independent event and included venues throughout the city. In the year 2000 it became the Belfast Film Festival and expanded into a citywide event. In 2003, the line-up grew to 70 films.[2][3]
On 17 April 2004, the North Street Arcade suffered a huge fire that completely the internal part of the building.[4] Despite losing their base and all their records, the festival recovered, relocated to Donegall St, and staged the event again the following year. The 2005 festival was launched by award-winning actor Stephen Rea.[5]
In 2010, the festival raised a record of £230,000 ($346,000).[1] By 2016, the festival expanded to a total of 133 films from 30 countries,[6] while the 2018 edition spread to 22 locations and featured 178 films.[7]
In 2022, the festival launched an International Competition for first or second features, sponsored by several organizations, notably Greg Darby's Yellow Moon.[8] Best Film award goes with a £7,000 monetary prize, while £1,500 are given with Jury Prizes for Outstanding Craft Contribution and Breakout Performance.[9] BFF screens feature and short films, documentaries, host retrospectives as well as world premieres.[10][11][12]
As of 2023, the team includes: International Programmer Jess Kiang, UK and Ireland Programmer Rose Baker, Head of Industry and Marketplace Roisin Geraghty, Chair Mark Cousins, and others.[13][7] BFF's patrons are: Terry George, David Holmes, Pat Murphy, William Crawley, and Stephen Rea.[14][15]
Belfast Film Festival is sponsored by NI Department for Communities, Arts Council NI, Film Hub NI, Yellow Moon, British Council, Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland Screen and the British Film Institute.[16][8]
Sections and events
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Site-specific screenings are a signature part of the festival. Through the years, the management team strived to include people and the fabric of the city in the program.[17] They have screened films in used and disused swimming pools, on a boat in the River Lagan, with live piano accompaniment in St Anne's Cathedral (16mm original version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame). Carol Reed's Odd Man Out beside the Albert Clock, which featured heavily in the film.[18] BFF hosted screenings at unique architectural sites, including the US political drama The West Wing at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Oh, Mr Porter! at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, The Warriors in a dystopian landscape beneath a city center motorway flyover, and Stanley Kubrick's cult sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey in the historic dry dock in the city's old shipyards where the RMS Titanic last sat on dry ground.[19][20] The 2017 screenings of The Exorcist and The Omen were made in the former Holy Rosary Church on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast, which was deconsecrated for almost 40 years. Still, some criticized the choice of the location as insensitive and disrespectful.[21]
In partnership with Belfast One, BFF hosts Belfast Summer Cinema, a 2-days event hosted in the City Hall.[22][23][24] In 2018, it also launched Pull Focus, a two-day summer festival of Irish documentary.[25]
Music has also featured strongly in BFF's programming; some highlights include the collaborations with local talents such as Duke Special and David Holmes on audiovisual performances,[26] hosting the Italian progressive rock band Simonetti's Goblin to perform a live score to Dawn of the Dead; and many more.[27]
Additionally, every year the festival hosts various special events.[28] Belfast Film Festival also sponsors year-round film screenings around Belfast.[29]
In 2019, the documentary section was separated into an independent festival, Docs Ireland. It is operated by the same team, but has its own program, industry section, etc.[3] The festival's industry section, the marketplace, spans for two days and offers filmmakers the possibility to pitch their projects, meet sponsors, distributors and exhibitors.[16][30] Other sections are: Pull Focus Irish Documentary Competition, Irish Shorts Programmes, New International Documentary, and Back to the Archive.[3]
BFF Award Winners
editShort Film Competition
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| Year | Film Title | Director(s) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Sour Milk | Mark Keane | |
| 2022 | Still Up There | Joe Loftus | |
| 2021 | Dear Eibhlin | Laura Conlon | 🇮🇪 |
| 2020 | Ciúnas (Silence) (joint winner) | Tristan Heanue | 🇮🇪 |
| 2020 | The Shift (joint winner) | Evan Barry | 🇮🇪 |
| 2019 | Hold the Line | Laura O'Shea and Karen Killeen | 🇮🇪 |
| 2018 | Good Girls | Niamh McKeown | 🇮🇪 |
| 2017 | Incoming Call | Eoin Cleland | 🇮🇪 |
| 2016 | Introducing Brian | Nicolas Keogh | 🇬🇧 |
| 2015 | A Flash | Niall Cutler | 🇮🇪 |
| 2014 | Rúbaí | Louise Ní Fhiannachta | 🇮🇪 |
| 2013 | Toy Soldiers | Mike Hayes | 🇮🇪 |
| 2012 | Exhale | Mal Campbell | 🇬🇧 |
| 2011 | Even Gods | Phil Harrison | 🇬🇧 |
| 2010 | Chronoscope | Andrew Legge | 🇮🇪 |
| 2009 | Of Best Intentions | Brian Durnin | 🇮🇪 |
| 2008 | The Sound of People | Simon Fitzmaurice | 🇮🇪 |
| 2007 | The White Dress | Vanessa Gildea | 🇮🇪 |
| 2006 | Testing Time, Teddy Boy | Kevin McCann | 🇮🇪 |
| 2005 | Fluent Dysphasia | Daniel O'Hara | 🇮🇪 |
| 2004 | Full Circle | Simon Fitzmaurice | 🇮🇪 |
| 2003 | Suffering | Gary Mitchell | 🇬🇧 |
Maysles Brothers Documentary Competition (part of Docs Ireland international documentary festival since 2019)
edit| Year | Film Title | Director(s) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | The Balcony Movie | Pawel Łoziński | 🇵🇱 |
| 2021 | Writing with Fire | Sushmit Ghosh & Rintu Thomas | 🇮🇳 |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to pandemic | ||
| 2019 | Island | Steven Eastwood | 🇬🇧 |
| 2018 | Still Tomorrow | Jian Fan | 🇨🇳 |
| 2017 | Hidden Photos | Davide Grotta | 🇮🇹 🇰🇭 |
| 2016 | Tchindas | Marc Serena & Pablo García Pérez de Lara | 🇪🇸 🇨🇻 |
| 2015 | Approaching the Elephant | Amanda Wilder | 🇺🇸 |
| 2014 | Sepideh - Reaching for the Stars | Berit Madsen | 🇮🇷 🇩🇰 🇩🇪 🇳🇴 🇸🇪 |
| 2013 | Bad Boy High Security Cell | Janusz Mrozowski | 🇵🇱 🇫🇷 |
| 2012 | The Tiniest Place (El lugar más pequeño) | Tatiana Huezo Sánchez | 🇲🇽 |
| 2011 | Marwencol | Jeff Malmberg | 🇺🇸 |
| 2010 | October Country | Michael Palmieri & Donal Mosher | 🇺🇸 |
| 2009 | Presumed Guilty | Roberto Hernández | 🇲🇽 |
| 2008 | End of the Rainbow | Robert Nugent | 🇫🇷 🇦🇺 |
| 2007 | Nömadak Tx | Raúl de la Fuente | 🇪🇸 |
Audience Award
edit| Year | Film Title | Director(s) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Heavy Trip | Jukka Vidgren and Juuso Laatio | 🇫🇮 |
| 2018 | The Divine Order | Petra Biondina Volpe | 🇨🇭 |
| 2017 | A Man Called Ove (En man som heter Ove) | Hannes Holm | 🇸🇪 |
| 2016 | Traders | Rachael Moriarty & Peter Murphy | 🇮🇪 |
| 2015 | Timbuktu | Abderrahmane Sissako | 🇲🇷 🇫🇷 |
| 2014 | The Lunchbox (Dabba) | Ritesh Batra | 🇮🇳 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 |
| 2013 | Much Ado About Nothing | Joss Whedon | 🇺🇸 |
| 2012 | Good Vibrations | Lisa Barros D'Sa & Glenn Leyburn | 🇬🇧 🇮🇪 |
| 2011 | Simple Simon (I rymden finns inga känslor) | Andrea Ohman | 🇸🇪 |
| 2010 | Cup Cake | Colin McIvor | 🇬🇧 |
| 2009 | Cherrybomb | Lisa Barros D'Sa & Glenn Leyburn | 🇬🇧 |
Short Documentary Competition (part of Docs Ireland international documentary festival since 2019)
edit| Year | Film Title | Director(s) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Ireland's Last Matchmaker (joint winner) | Sam Howard | |
| 2022 | Mam's Old Chair (joint winner) | Sheena Walsh | |
| 2021 | How to Fall in Love in a Pandemic | Michael-David McKernan | |
| 2020 | Hydebank | Ross McClean | 🇮🇪 |
| 2019 | Strong at the Broken Places | Anna Rodgers | 🇮🇪 |
| 2017 | Raymond | David Stephenson | 🇮🇪 |
| 2017 | Martin | Donal Moloney | 🇮🇪 |
Réalta Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cinema
edit| Year | Name | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Bríd Brennan | Actress |
| 2019 | Robert Carlyle | Actor |
| 2018 | Ken Loach | Director |
| 2017 | John Cusack | Actor |
| 2016 | Terence Davies | Writer/Director |
| 2012 | Stephen Rea | Actor |
| 2010 | Ciarán Hinds | Actor |
Lifetime Achievement Award
edit| Year | Name | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Roy and Noel Spence | Filmmakers |
| 2014 | James Ellis | Actor |
| 2010 | Haskell Wexler | Cinematographer |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Dawtrey, Adam (9 April 2010). "Belfast kicks off fest". Variety. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Inclusion". Belfast Film Festival. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Rickinson, Steve (21 June 2023). ""We want to provide the audience with some levity and a range of experiences"". Modern Times Review. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "After the Fire: North Street Arcade ten years on". BBC News. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Festivals Hit By Shock Fire". IFTN. 23 April 2004. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Preview: Belfast Film Festival 2016". BFI. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Belfast Film Festival launches its 2023 programme with writers, workers and world-class features". Northern Ireland Screen. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Film Festival announces dynamic new team and inaugural International Feature Competition". Northern Ireland Screen. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Brosnan, Seán (20 May 2015). "Belfast Film Festival launches 2015 Programme". IFTN. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Toner, Aine (27 October 2023). "Simply going to the cinema is quite a revolutionary act these days". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Packed programme for this year's Belfast Film Festival". Newsletter. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Reid, Kurtis (12 October 2023). "Belfast Film Festival: Line up includes Paul Mescal and Pierce Brosnan films and doc on controversial rap trio Kneecap". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "New Patron For Belfast Film Festival". 4ni Co UK. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Film Festival". IFTN. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ a b Economou, Vassilis (18 April 2024). "Docs Ireland to spotlight the Nordics". Cineuropa. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Goes, Sáoirse (14 October 2022). "Five of the Best: Irish Short Films at BFF". University Times. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Odd Man Out makers get thumbs down over Belfast location". BBC. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Odd venues for city film festival". Belfast Telegraph. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Young, David (27 July 2013). "Lights, camera, water as Belfast Film Festival starts". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Horror at The Exorcist screening in former church". BBC. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Summer Cinema is back and ready to rock City Hall this summer". Belfast Live. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Film Festival unveils a summer of film fun". IFTN. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Summer Cinema Take Two". Belfastone. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Film Festival Launches the 'Pull Focus' Documentary Festival". IFTN. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Duke Special in concert". Irish Independent. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "SIMONETTI'S GOBLIN TO PERFORM AT BELFAST FILM FESTIVAL". Fame Magazine. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Belfast film festival promises record number of screenings and events in 10-day movie marathon". Visit Belfast. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ Roy, David (15 July 2016). "Special event: Belfast Film Festival hosts outdoor screenings". The Irish News. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- ^ "Docs Ireland returns With Packed Programme of International Documentary Excellence". BanterFlix. Retrieved 22 April 2024.