Karl and Rose are two young Jewish children who escape Nazi-occupied Vienna via kindertransport.
They are brought to Northern Ireland to the Millisle refugee farm, where they find it hard to adjust to homesickness and the isolation of country living. Slowly but surely, they get used to the rhythms of rural life, finding friends and a sense of family among the other refugees. But the war isn’t over, and it isn’t long before the Belfast Blitz in 1941 brings the horrors of war back to face them. This moving drama, adapted from the novel by Marilyn Taylor, is based on a true story.
It is brought to life by director Terry Loane who returns to the festival after his previous film The Last Rifleman screened in 2023; another story paying tribute to unlikely acts of heroism during war. Featuring brilliant performances from a young cast of newcomers, the film captures both the relief of escape and the immense tragedy of events. Faraway Home highlights an important story from our local history, one that is not as well known as it should be.