Aftersun Premiere

The 22nd Belfast Film Festival closed in style with the Irish premiere of Aftersun Screened at Cineworld in Belfast, a glittering array of guests turned out for the closing ceremony, including Belfast Lord Mayor Tina Black, actor Martin McCann, journalist Donal McIntyre, author Laurence McKeown, Film Hub NI’s Sara Gunn-Smith and Hugh Odling-Smee, and QFT’s Ellen Reay, to name a few.

Guests were warmly welcomed on the night by Belfast Film Festival programmer Jessica Kiang, who said: “Being able to bring these films, especially films from emerging film makers, has meant so much. It’s what we believe in; we believe in the future of cinema, we believe in the future of Belfast’s centrality to that future, and we also believe in the optimism that sometimes can feel a little out of reach. And none of that would be possible if people didn’t actually come to the movies.”

Before Aftersun was shown to the 400 strong audience, the winners of the Festival’s inaugural International Film Competition, selected by a jury comprising of BAFTA and Academy-Award-winning director Andrea Arnold, renowned actor Stephen Rea and producer Catherine Bray, were announced. Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul, was named Best Film; Breakthrough Performance went to two actors, Rosy McEwen and Kerrie Hayes, for their performances in Blue Jean; the award for Outstanding Craft Contribution was given to Ioseb ‘Soso’ Bliadze, and Taki Mumladze, for their work together as the screenwriters of A Room of My Own; and two winners were named for the Short Film Competition - Mark Keane for Sour Milk, and Joe Loftus for Still Up There

As lights dimmed, the audience were then treated to a video message from the stars of Aftersun, Paul Mescal (Normal People) and newcomer Frankie Corio, before the film rolled. Aftersun, which was written and directed by Charlotte Wells is a poignant and moving father-daughter drama. Sophie (Frankie Corio) reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories real and imagined fill the gaps between as she tries to reconcile the father she knew and the man she didn’t. The film, which has autobiographical elements, is simply stunning. The filming is unique, bold and beautiful whilst the two lead performances from Mescal and Corio are utterly mesmerising. Powerful, moving and unapologetically raw, this is a movie that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

Once again the Belfast Film Festival has set the bar incredibly high. The quality of films through out was exceptional but in my opinion they really did save the best for last.

The Irish premiere of Aftersun and closing ceremony of the Belfast Film Festival, took place on 12 November.