On Saturday 16th November 400 people watched the Belfast premiere of an extraordinary new feature film Ordinary Love.
The screening was attended by the film’s creative team, Directors Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn, Writer, Owen McCafferty, Producers, David Holmes and Brian Falconer, alongside many of the cast and crew, family and friends.
Brian Henry Martin introduced the evening and we were honoured to have film aficionado Mark Kermode join us to host a very special post screening Q&A – exploring not only the journey the filmmakers made bringing the story to life but the very personal circumstances that inspired Owen McCafferty to write the script. Informed by his own experience of supporting his wife through breast cancer, it was clear that the universality of the story would resonate not only with this audience but many others across the world.
You can watch the Q&A here:
We were also joined by Geoff Hill, Chair of The Friends of the Cancer Centre, who spoke about the charity’s involvement in the film and their charitable work. Based at Belfast City Hospital the charity support patients with cancer, through patient care and comfort as well as supporting research. We are delighted to announce that through donations made on the night £1,807.58 was raised for the Friends Of The Cancer Centre.
Ordinary Love is a story that focuses on married couple Joan (Lesley Manville), and Tom (Liam Neeson). Joan is diagnosed with breast cancer, and in the course of her treatment we watch as this couple adjust to a new normal, finding strength in adversity, with humour and hope along the way. It’s a beautiful, moving depiction of two people with ordinary lives dealing with a life and death situation.
This very special evening would not have been possible without the support from NI Screen. Thank you.
Coming to a cinema near you on Friday 6 December. You will also have an opportunity to hear from the filmmakers themselves at special screenings of the film in the Strand Arts Centre on Thursday 5th December and Monday 9th December in Queens Film Theatre.