Day seven of the Belfast Film Festival brought filmmaker Q&A’s, lots of excellent New Cinema from around the world and screenings of classics in class locations!

We kicked off the day with a screening of Eighth Grade in the Movie House Dublin Road, Bo Burnham’s feature debut about an introverted teenager trying to survive her last year of her disastrous eighth grade. The film was so popular when we announced it we put on another screening later in the day.

Some film fans took to Twitter following the screenings; “Eighth Grade is a triumph and a much needed reminder of why I want to create film. I cannot wait to watch it again already” and “Never have I wanted to hug a character more than Kayla in Eighth Grade. Oof. What a film. Thanks Belfast Film Festival”.

We also screened Heavy Trip in the Queen’s Film Theatre, a Finnish, heavy metal comedy about a band called Impaled Rektum trying to play at a heavy metal music festival. The directors Jukka Vidgren and Juuso Laatio took part in a lively, funny and fascinating Q&A after the screening with interviewee Joe Lindsay where they talked about making the film, their influences and heavy metal music.

On Twitter one fan commented, “Heavy Trip has to be one of the best comedies I’ve seen in a long time. Endless laughs and bucket loads of heart. One for both fans and non fans of heavy metal. Thank you Belfast Film Festival for sussing out this gem of a film.”

Over in the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) we hosted two sold out screenings of The Matrix in honour of it being 20 years old. The Sonic Lab has 48 loudspeakers, strategically located around and under the audience to provide a unique and exciting listening experience. If you missed out on this exciting experience we still have tickets available for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Bill Morrison Films.

Over in the Black Box, we partnered up with the lovely folk from Film Hub NI to present a special screening of Of Love and Law. The film follows Fumi and Kazu, who run the first and only law firm in Japan set up by an openly gay couple. Following the screening there was a panel discussion hosted by Hugh Odling-Smee with Gavin Boyd from the Rainbow Project and Jason Brooks, the film’s Cinematographer.

Film Hub NI took to Twitter after: “Huge thanks to all who attended Of Love and Law tonight at Black Box Belfast. The audience loved it, and the Q&A was brilliant. Many thanks to Gavin Boyd from The Rainbow Project NI, and Jason Brooks for taking the time to chat with Hugh Odling-Smee. A powerful night at

We also screened New Cinema releases An Elephant Sitting Still, One Day Pina Asked, Mega Time Squad, Tumbbad, November, Support the Girls, Relaxer and I Don’t Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians.