In his short film We Gather, Dominic Curran has captured the utter devastation of grief in such a beautifully wrenching manner. From top to bottom, this is a tremendous piece of short film cinema. A young man struggles with regret as the passage of time gives way to a flowing
Category: Reviews
Smashing and Entering (Short) ★★★ 3/4 Belfast Film Festival
Joe Laverty’s Smashing and Entering is a great-looking short that shows us the power of independent women. Emer Casey’s performance demands your attention as the fearless Goretti – A short film that leaves you wanting more. First, her privacy is assailed by nuisance callers who soon discover they are more
Everything Looks Simple from a Distance (Short Film) ★★★★ Belfast Film Festival
Conor Toner’s marvelous short film Everything Looks Simple from a Distance is a thoughtful film that takes an emotional turn in the last few minutes. Cailum Carragher gives us an excellent performance as our idealistic lead. It’s 1969. The Americans have not landed on the moon yet, and political tensions
I Know You (Short Film) ★★★ Belfast Film Festival
I Know You is a solid short film that leaves you pondering what you would do in our protagonist Gerard’s shoes. Do you agree to what has been asked by those you left behind, or do you stick to what you feel is right? After his brother falls seriously ill
Suspicious Minds (Short Film) ★★★ Belfast Film Festival
Imelda O’Reilly‘s bittersweet short film Suspicious Minds calls out to all who have moved away to start anew. A reminder that no matter why you left, if you need to, you can still call that place home. A romance at a trippy Halloween rave goes wrong. Lola’s (Gina Costigan) very
Ginny Reaper (Short Film) ★★★★ Belfast Film Festival
Niamh McKeown’s mockumentary Ginny Reaper is a short film you will immediately fall in love with. There is so much to enjoy within those fifteen minutes that you will never want it to end. Ginny, a grim reaper, embarks on her first holiday in one hundred years only to be
Hangnail (Short) ★★★ 1/2 Belfast Film Festival
Grace Connor’s Hangnail is a dream that quickly becomes a nightmare for our young protagonist. It is a strong cautionary tale that shows the daunting task some teenagers have in trying to find their place in society. Young and impressionable Erin (Mollie Milne) is dying for a peek into the
Baby Steps (Short Film) ★★★★ Belfast Film Festival
A wonderful joy of a 9-minute short, Baby Steps takes us through the fears of going through a pregnancy. It is an entertaining and unexpectedly touching film; Hannah Mamalis has made a delightful gem. Em (Hannah Mamalis) is 7 months pregnant and feels no connection to the baby inside her.
The Zone of Interest ★★★★★ Belfast Film Festival
Simply put, there is nothing like The Zone of Interest. Jonathan Glazer has created the most haunting, shattering, and breathless film in recent memory. Deliberately horrifying, this is cinema at its most impactful. The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig strive to build a dream life for
Sound and Colour (Short Film) ★★★★★ Belfast International Film Festival
Filmmaker Emma Foley barely gives her audience a second to breathe in the outstanding Sound and Colour. Alison Oliver shines as the future star that she is in this powerfully painful short film. Hannah (Alison Oliver) returns home to face her dysfunctional and emotionally repressed family after her attempted suicide, only to find her family avoiding