Belfast named “City of Film”

Belfast, City of Film

Belfast, City of Film

Belfast has emerged as a global leader in film and television production, earning prestigious recognition at the Global Production Awards during the Cannes Film Festival. In a remarkable double victory, Northern Ireland Screen received the Special Recognition Award while Belfast was crowned Best City of Film, beating fierce competition from major international hubs including New York City, Gold Coast, Sydney, and Zagreb.

The judges were particularly impressed by Belfast’s clear vision for leveraging film success to create broader economic growth. The city’s strategic approach encompasses not just attracting productions, but building lasting economic benefits through skills development, infrastructure investment, and tourism integration. This holistic view has positioned Belfast as more than just a filming location—it’s become a comprehensive creative hub.

The Global Production Awards, held during Cannes with over 270 industry executives in attendance, celebrate outstanding sustainable work and highlight the best global locations. Belfast’s victory in this international arena signals a shift in how the industry values comprehensive, sustainable approaches to film production.

As the global production landscape continues to evolve, Belfast’s success story offers a compelling blueprint for other cities seeking to develop their screen industries. By combining economic strategy with cultural preservation, environmental responsibility with commercial success, and local talent development with international appeal, Belfast has demonstrated that sustainable film production isn’t just possible—it’s profitable.

This recognition from Cannes affirms that the future of film production lies not just in spectacular locations or tax incentives, but in creating comprehensive ecosystems that support creative excellence, economic impact, and environmental responsibility. Belfast has shown the way forward, and the global film industry is taking notice.

Netflix's BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER has an amazing new trailer!

Colin Farrell plays an Irish fugitive hiding in Macau's neon underworld as "Lord Doyle," gambling desperately to outrun his past. 

The film opens in theaters Oct. 15 and starts streaming Oct. 29 on Netflix.

Watch now via link in bio.

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Saoirse Ronan is heading back to the '60s! 🎸

The four-time Oscar nominee is reportedly set to play Linda McCartney in Sam Mendes' wildly ambitious THE BEATLES project—four separate films, each following a different Beatle. 

She'll star opposite Paul Mescal (her FOE co-star) as Paul McCartney, with Barry Keoghan as Ringo, Joseph Quinn as George, and Harris Dickinson as John.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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Cillian Murphy just confirmed THE IMMORTAL MAN drops in 2026 and Tommy Shelby is coming back with a vengeance. 🔥

Fresh off STEVE hitting Netflix, Murphy spilled the tea on The Graham Norton Show that the Peaky Blinders film has wrapped.

Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.

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Graham Norton isn't going anywhere!

The BBC has locked in three more series of THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW - with 2.9 million viewers tuning in and clips going viral weekly, Norton continues to prove why he's the gold standard for celebrity interviews. 

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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Cillian Murphy isn't chasing blockbusters—he's back in the classroom.

The Irish actor's latest role in Netflix's STEVE sees him playing a struggling teacher at a last-chance reform school, proving once again that he's more interested in transformation than validation.

Watch Cillian's TODAY interview via link in bio.

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🖤⚡️ JESSIE BUCKLEY IS COMING BACK TO LIFE! ⚡️🖤

Ireland's Irish powerhouse transforms into a Gaga-esque flapper brought back to life as the companion of Christian Bale's creature in Maggie Gyllenhaal's electrifying new take on THE BRIDE!

New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.

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🌟 From THE WITCHER to DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS to EVERYTHING NOW.

Dublin's @niamhhmccormack_ has been quietly building one of the most impressive portfolios in Irish acting.

Don't miss her in HOUSE OF GUINNESS, now streaming on @netflix.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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🌊 When Oscar-nominated Stephen Rea (THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS, V FOR VENDETTA) lends his legendary voice to a haunting tale of shipwreck and survival, you know something magical is about to happen.

📍 @irishculturalcentre, Hammersmith
🗓️ November 8-9 ONLY
🎭 Don't miss this exclusive London run!

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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🎬 Cillian Murphy is absolutely unstoppable right now!

Three incredible performances in a row: Oscar winner OPPENHEIMER ✨ SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE 💫 and now STEVE - a powerhouse drama about a school headteacher fighting his own demons while saving troubled kids.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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THE WEIR is haunting London's Harold Pinter Theatre until 6 Dec, and it's pure magic. Brendan Gleeson makes his West End debut alongside an incredible cast in Conor McPherson's modern masterpiece - with the playwright himself directing for the first time!

"It's already a classic in the canon of world theatre," says Seán McGinley, and honestly? We believe him. Sometimes the most powerful stories happen over a pint, in the space between words, where kindness becomes community.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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🏆 IRISH TALENT TAKES TORONTO! 

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal just won BIG at TIFF with HAMNET - snagging the People's Choice Award that's basically an Oscar crystal ball ✨

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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From strolling London's Highbury Fields to stepping into Paul McCartney's shoes 🎸✨

Paul Mescal is living proof that staying grounded while reaching for the stars isn't just possible—it's the secret sauce. Fresh off HAMNET and deep in rehearsals for Sam Mendes' Beatles biopics, this Irish charmer is redefining what it means to be a modern movie star.

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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🔥 When Margot Robbie had a "suspicion" her chemistry with Colin Farrell would work in A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY... she was absolutely right! ✨

These two icons dive into Kogonada's A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY where strangers Sarah and David rent mysterious cars that transport them through doorways to their childhood memories. Talk about a wild ride! 🚗💫

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor playing LIE vs LIE is the chaotic energy we didn't know we needed 😂

These THE HISTORY OF SOUND co-stars swap outrageous stories, questionable audition tales, and awkward fan encounters—and honestly, we can't tell what's real anymore 🤷‍♀️

Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.

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Netflix has assembled a powerhouse Irish cast for their upcoming adaptation of Marian Keyes' bestselling novel GROWN UPS.

Sarah Greene (BAD SISTERS) leads alongside Barry Ward, Aisling Bea (THIS WAY UP), Robert Sheehan (UMBRELLA ACADEMY), Adrian Dunbar (LINE OF DUTY) and more incredible talent ✨

This 8-part series follows the chaotic Casey family as they navigate grief, love, and the messy reality of being "grown up".

More at irishfilmtv.com.

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Irish Film

BELFAST now on Netflix

Belfast

Kenneth Branagh‘s award-wining film, BELFAST, can now be streamed on Netflix. A poignant coming-of-age film set in the turbulent backdrop of 1960s Northern Ireland, BELFAST follows the story of a young boy named Buddy as he navigates the complexities of family, love, and sectarian strife. Against the backdrop of escalating violence, Buddy’s childhood innocence is both a refuge and a vulnerability. Director Kenneth Branagh beautifully captures the essence of community, resilience, and the enduring power of hope in the face of adversity with incredible performances by Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe and Ciaran Hinds.

Watch Now

Ciaran Hinds on The Troubles

Ciaran Hinds

Oscar-nominated BELFAST actor Ciaran Hinds has said he was lucky to avoid the violence of the Troubles and admitted he could have got involved in a “bad way”. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s podcast Red Lines, the actor, who has starred in films such as THERE WILL BE BLOOD, MUNICH and the final HARRY POTTER entry and comes from a middle class Catholic background, said he was living in Belfast at the time when violence broke out. Born to a GP father and a mother who was a teacher, Hinds, who was involved in Irish dancing until he was 19, said when the Troubles broke out, he was aware of people joining the IRA.

Podcast Link

Irish Film

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Branagh in A HAUNTING IN VENICE

Kenneth Branagh

Belfast-born Kenneth Branagh’s follow-up to MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and DEATH ON THE NILE opens in cinemas September 15. A fresh trailer has been unveiled for A HAUNTING IN VENICE, revealing the eeriness that awaits audiences this fall and features Kenneth Branagh, Jamie Dornan and Jude Hill of BELFAST. The film is set in post-World War II Venice where Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a séance. 

Watch Trailer

BELFAST stars to re-unite

Stars of 2021’s hit film BELFAST are reuniting on the big screen for an adaptation of Agatha Christie novel A HAUNTING IN VENICE. Kenneth Branagh is reprising his role as Hercule Poirot for his third outing, with Jamie Dornan and Jude Hill, both of whom were in Belfast, also joining the cast for the murder mystery. Branagh is also returning to the director’s chair, with other cast members including Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh and Kelly Reilly.

Read More

Irish Film

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Laura Donnelly in WEREWOLF BY NIGHT

A Belfast-born actress who stars in the HBO science fiction drama THE NEVERS has revealed she would love to return to the city’s Lyric Theatre. Laura Donnelly was speaking ahead of the release of WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, a TV special based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and the first Marvel Halloween special on Disney+.

Learn More

Irish Television

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Roisin Gallagher to star in THE LOVERS

A darkly comic romantic drama about a love-struck odd couple begins filming in Belfast at the end of this month. THE LOVERS, an original new drama for Sky, was written by David Ireland and stars local actors Roisin Gallagher and Conleth Hill, and South African-born musician and actor Johnny Flynn.

Read More

Irish Television

Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST Oscar

Branagh wins Best Original Screenplay! Thirty-two years after receiving his very first Academy Award nominations for 1989’s HENRY V, actor-director Kenneth Branagh has officially won his first Oscar. Branagh took home Best Original Screenplay for his latest film, BELFAST, during yesterday’s Oscars ceremony. Branagh wrote and directed the semi-autobiographical Belfast, which stars Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe, and the young Jude Hill. The film follows a working-class family and the son’s childhood during the late 1960s in the Northern Ireland capital. 

Learn More