From Belfast to Saipan: Festival’s Closing Night Film Explores Football’s Most Famous Fallout
Belfast Film Festival has rounded off an epic 25th anniversary year with a glitzy gala screening of the highly anticipated film, Saipan.
The film details the explosive clash between Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane in the lead-up to the 2002 World Cup. Steve Coogan and Éanna Hardwicke star as the larger-than-life figures at the heart of Irish football history.
The new feature, by acclaimed Belfast based filmmakers Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa had its gala screening at the festival and was attended by its star, Éanna Hardwicke, who plays Roy Keane in the comedy-drama.
Saipan rounds off a packed programme that brought a whole range of film-makers and talent to Belfast, including the Hollywood star Lucy Liu who won the festival’s Réalta Award for her exceptional and compassionate performance in her new movie, Rosemead.
The festival also played host to actor Barry Ward (That They May Face The Rising Sun 2023, Bad Sisters) who stars in Helen’s Walsh’s On The Sea, as well as acclaimed directors Ben Wheatley, Mark Cousins and Charlie Shackleton.
As always, Belfast Film Festival shone a light on the best of Irish cinema. Highlights included AONTAS, an exciting new Irish-language thriller from filmmakers Damian McCann and Sarah Gordon, while the NI Independents strand saw films from emerging talent including comedy drama Housejackers directed by Rian Lennon and romantic comedy with an original soundtrack, Love In Belfast directed by Gary Duffy.
AWARD WINNERS – The Long Short Weekend saw the winner of the coveted Belfast Film Festival Best Irish Short unveiled – INTERNAL BLEEDING directed by Zoë Nolan and an honourable mention to NOSTALGIE directed by Kathryn Ferguson.
Belfast Film Festival is supported by Northern Ireland Screen through the Department for Communities, Belfast City Council, BFI/Film Hub NI, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Dormant Assets NI delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund, and Yellowmoon Post Production, Hastings and Birra Moretti.
