And we’re off! Belfast Film Festival is underway with a movie marathon of 125 films from 35 countries in 11 days, including new cinema, a documentary panorama, quirky events, a local filmmakers’ showcase and plenty of special guests.

Opening the 17th Belfast Film Festival was Mindhorn, already a contender for funniest film of the year. The film’s stars, Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh) and Simon Farnaby (Yonderland) attended the premiere in the Movie House, Dublin Road along with DJ and music producer David Holmes, one of the film’s composers.

Mindhorn is a comic romp about a washed-up actor whose fictional detective from the 1980s is called upon to deal with a fugitive killer.

Mindhorn is directed by Sean Foley who was also at the premiere. He is no stranger to Belfast, having directed Kenneth Branagh and Rob Brydon in The Painkiller at the Lyric Theatre in 2011.

Barratt, Farnaby and Foley introduced the film and the capacity crowd enjoyed a hilarious Q&A chaired by film lecturer Daniel Jewesbury.

Belfast Film Festival guests enjoyed a post-screening reception in the Marcus Ward – thank you to Gerry for the fabulous Jawbox Gin… best served with ginger and a dash of lime!