In director Will McConnell’s latest lo-fi experiment, the concept of the ‘crime film’ is transformed through a structural gambit. Each scene begins with a cigarette being lit and ends as it is stubbed out. Lasting as long as a humble pack of cigarettes does, we witness a story unfold through its liminal moments.
With each drag, we learn about Jim and Vick. Against the backdrop of a vote for Irish unity, they get pulled into a life of crime. They soon learn however that the Bonnie and Clyde lifestyle is a hard one to maintain, and their relationship becomes as threatened as the national identity is.
20 Cigarettes is a refreshing take on the genre film in Northern Ireland, addressing and
confronting the issues surrounding ‘our wee country’ rather than existing in a vacuum. The central relationship, as brought to life by Charlie Creighton and Anita Jurkovic, is nuanced and deeply felt. This is a bold and exciting film for the current moment.