The 16th Belfast Film Festival kicked off last night with a selection of films suited to various tastes, including the powerful opening night Gala screening of Mustang at Movie House, Dublin Road, where film lovers from across the city and beyond were in thrall to Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s brilliant, affecting Academy Award-nominated film.
Meanwhile at the Strand Arts Centre, the east of the city paid tribute to the late, great David Bowie with a sold-out 30th anniversary screening of the ever popular Labyrinth, which also included the live puppeteering skills of Paul Currie.
Field Niggas, an infectiously enthralling documentary exploring police violence, substance abuse and the long-term impact of racist on New York City’s 125th Street opened this year’s impressive Maysles Brothers Competition, whilst the Black Box played host to Welcome to Wayne’s World. Host Joe Lindsay made sure things went with a ‘schwing,’ delivering an ‘excellent’ experience of epic proportions that even Garth and Wayne would have been proud of!