The 2018 Belfast Film Festival is set to host 118 premieres out of 178 films ranging from features to short films to Virtual Reality (VR) titles drawn from 30 countries around the world.
Chair of the Belfast Film Festival, Mark Cousins, with Director, Michele Devlin launch the 2018 Belfast Film Festival. The 2018 Belfast Film Festival is set to host 118 premieres out of 178 films ranging from features to short films to Virtual Reality (VR) titles drawn from 30 countries around the world.
The festival, which takes place across 22 locations in Belfast, will also see a number of special events including in-depth Q&As with well-known Father Ted writer, Graham Linehan and Director Ken Loach who is set to receive the Réalta award for outstanding contribution to cinema.
The festival kicks off on 12th April with the Lance Daly directed film ‘BLACK 47’ as the opening gala and continues through to 21st April.
Mark Cousins, Chair of the Belfast Film Festival said:
“We are thrilled to be launching the 2018 film festival with a whole host of great films, documentaries and shorts. Our festival is one of the boldest and most distinctive and this year we have curated a programme that shows how passionate we are about film and the people who make them and feature in them.”
“As the new Chair of the film festival I have great ambition for it. We want to take it out to more people and make it accessible for everyone to spark an interest they may not know they had. We have so much potential to raise the profile locally and internationally and with energy and the right strategy, we can do it.”
“BFF18 brings an entire showcase of 178 features, short films and VR titles, applauding innovation and exciting work from 30 countries around the world.”
“As part of the festival we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Ken Loach to Belfast, to screen a selection of his film and TV work and present him with our award for his Outstanding Contribution to Cinema.”
Top 5 Picks of the 2018 Belfast Film Festival Programme
12 April Opening Night Gala - ‘BLACK 47’ – Directed by Lance Daly
17 April Belfast Film Festival to welcome Ken Loach to Northern Ireland to receive the Réalta award for outstanding contribution to cinema. Ken will take part in a special Q&A.
18 April The festival will welcome BAFTA and Emmy winner Graham Linehan, co-writer of Father Ted and Black Books and writer and director of the IT Crowd who will take part in a special Q&A
18 April ‘THE BREADWINNER’ - Directed by Nora Twomey (Parvana is an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana cuts off her hair and dresses like a boy in order to support her family. Working alongside her friend Shauzia, Parvana discovers a new world of freedom and danger).
21 April Closing Night Gala - ‘THE DIG’ – Directed by Ryan and Andrew Tohill
More than 20 films at this year’s Belfast Film Festival will have a ‘F’ rating which identifies if a film is directed, written or produced by a female or has a strong female lead or storyline.
The response comes off the back of the recent global movement to change the culture of how women are treated in the film industry and how they are represented on-screen.
Michele Devlin, Director of the Belfast Film Festival added:
“This year in the film industry there has been an upsurge of activism as a loud response to systemic sexual exploitation, race and class discrimination.”
“We work hard to make sure that our festival continually reflects the changes that are happening in the global film industry and society. As a festival, we want to make sure that we give everyone a voice and a platform.”
“This year we have introduced the ‘F’ rating throughout the programme which shines a spotlight on the role of women in film production. By doing this we want to make sure that we play our part in giving the overall campaign the attention it deserves.”
Festival Pass and Tickets can be purchased at: www.belfastfilmfestival.org