What's on in City centre

122 listings at 12 venues over the next two weeks.

Friday 30 October 15 listings

Tonight 15

18:00

Damian Mc c arthy Directorial Masterclass

We are thrilled to welcome Damian McCarthy, the twisted mind behind ODDITY, CAVEAT and most recently HOKUM, to this year’s festival to take part in a directing masterclass as part of our Long Short Weekend. McCarthy’s career began with some skin-crawling shorts which screened and won awards at festivals around the world. His feature debut, CAVEAT, screened in 2020 before being added to Shudder and becoming a worldwide sensation. He followed this with ODDITY in 2024, before his biggest feature yet in HOKUM, starring Adam Scott. Despite his meteoric rise, his work retains a deeply Irish sensibility: darkly humorous and versed in folklore, scratching at that paranoid, uncomfortable itch at the back of the brain. The conversation will be moderated by actor, writer and director Clare Monnelly (star of Aislinn Clarke’s FRÉWAKA). Featuring some of Damian’s shorts, some clips from his films, and some from the work that inspired him, this will be an indispensable evening for filmmakers and film fans alike. This masterclass is sponsored by Northern Ireland Screen . This event will be live captioned.
18:15

BFF: Damian McCarthy Masterclass

The Black Box · Main Room · City centre · Film
Belfast Film Festival are thrilled to welcome Damian McCarthy , the twisted mind behind ODDITY, CAVEAT and most recently HOKUM, to this year’s festival to take part in a directing masterclass as part of our Long Short Weekend. McCarthy’s career began with some skin-crawling shorts which screened and won awards at festivals around the world. His feature debut, CAVEAT, screened in 2020 before being added to Shudder and becoming a worldwide sensation. He followed this with ODDITY in 2024, before his biggest feature yet in HOKUM, starring Adam Scott. Despite his meteoric rise, his work retains a deeply Irish sensibility: darkly humorous and versed in folklore, scratching at that paranoid, uncomfortable itch at the back of the brain. The conversation will be moderated by actor, writer and director Clare Monnelly (star of Aislinn Clarke’s FRÉWAKA). Featuring some of Damian’s shorts, some clips from his films, and some from the work that inspired him, this will be an indispensable evening for filmmakers and film fans alike. This masterclass is sponsored by Northern Ireland Screen.
20:30

BFF: HOKUM Live Commentary

The Black Box · Main Room · City centre · Film
Belfast Film Festival are very excited to welcome director Damian McCarthy and editor Brian Philip Davis to take part in a live commentary of their horror hit HOKUM. Arrogant and alienating American novelist Ohm Bauman (the wickedly talented Adam Scott) travels to Ireland to spread his parents’ ashes. He stays in the same quaint Irish inn where they spent their honeymoon. Whilst getting drunk and annoying the locals, he becomes entranced by folk tales of a witch trapped in the very hotel he is staying in. When a woman disappears, he is drawn into the mysteries and horrors that lie beneath the surface of this quaint hotel, and the disturbing secrets from his own suppressed past. Damian and Brian will introduce the film before telling all about the nitty-gritty of crafting a horror film. Commentating live, they’ll provide behind-the-scenes stories and insight on their creative process. This event is 18+
20:30

Hokum Director’s Live Commentary

We are very excited to welcome director Damian McCarthy and editor Brian Philip Davis to take part in a live commentary of their horror hit HOKUM. Arrogant and alienating American novelist Ohm Bauman (the wickedly talented Adam Scott) travels to Ireland to spread his parents’ ashes. He stays in the same quaint Irish inn where they spent their honeymoon. Whilst getting drunk and annoying the locals, he becomes entranced by folk tales of a witch trapped in the very hotel he is staying in. When a woman disappears, he is drawn into the mysteries and horrors that lie beneath the surface of this quaint hotel, and the disturbing secrets from his own suppressed past. Damian and Brian will introduce the film before telling all about the nitty-gritty of crafting a horror film. Commentating live, they’ll provide behind-the scenes stories and insight on their creative process.

Saturday 31 October 13 listings

Morning 2

11:00

Monster Mash: Halloween Special

Details Get ready to Monster Mash at the MAC this Halloween! Bring the whole family along for a spooktacular morning packed with fun, creativity and entertainment. Enjoy exciting circus performances, magical storytelling and hands-on Halloween arts and crafts for little monsters of all ages. Children can also get into the Halloween spirit with spooky face painting and plenty of opportunities to make, play and explore. Come dressed up in your favourite Halloween costume and join us for a monstrously good time at the MAC!

Afternoon 6

13:30

BFF: Spider Baby

The Black Box · Main Room · City centre · Film
Spider Baby, otherwise known as The Maddest Story Ever Told, features horror stars Lon Chaney Jr. and Sid Haig in a bizarre cult-classic that twists tales like The Addams Family into depraved directions. In a lonesome dilapidated house, chauffeur Bruno cares for the Merrye children, all affected by a degenerative illness. When money-grubbing relatives visit unannounced to claim the house as their own, the Merrye family take action into their own hands. After the screening, we will be joined by Disability Action Research Kollective member Aaliyah Bates and artist and disability activist Deirdre McKenna for a panel discussion exploring how horror can act as reflection of social fears, or as a site of reclamation. This film features negative caricatures of people with disabilities and ableist behaviour.
13:30

Spider Baby & Post Screening Discussion

Spider Baby, otherwise known as The Maddest Story Ever Told, features horror stars Lon Chaney Jr. and Sid Haig in a bizarre cult-classic that twists tales like The Addams Family into depraved directions. In a lonesome dilapidated house, chauffeur Bruno cares for the Merrye children, all affected by a degenerative illness. When money-grubbing relatives visit unannounced to claim the house as their own, the Merrye family take action into their own hands. After the screening, we will be joined by Disability Action Research Kollective member Aaliyah Bates and artist and disability activist Deirdre McKenna for a panel discussion exploring how horror can act as reflection of social fears, or as a site of reclamation. Please note this film features negative caricatures of people with disabilities and ableist behaviour. This screening is a Relaxed (RS) event with subtitles for d/Deaf and hard of hearing (SDH). There will be BSL signing for the panel discussion.
14:00

Eoin McNamee

The MAC · The Studio · City centre · Talks & books
Details Eoin McNamee presents his new short story collection, The Comets . The Comets is a richly textured collection of stories, set in Ireland and Northern Ireland, that explore working-class lives teetering on the borderlands between violence and love. McNamee tells these haunted stories with precision and care, cementing again his position as one of the most loved literary stylists of contemporary Irish writing. The author of eight novels including Resurrection Man and The Bureau , McNamee has been nominated for theMan Booker Prize, and has won the Kerry Fiction Prize and the CWA Steel Dagger. Liam McIllvaney said of McNamee's prose that it has the 'cadenced majesty of McCarthy or DeLillo, but the vision it enacts is all his own.' Most recently, Eoin was part of the writers room for Netflix’s Vikings Valhalla series. Programmed as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.
£7.50–9.50Tickets & info
14:00

ROCK’N QUO – a tribute to Status Quo

Get ready to rock the afternoon away at The Deer’s Head on October 31, 2026 at 2:00 PM (BST) ! This debut gig promises a fantastic tribute to Status Quo, with the added bonus of support from the equally fantastic Chris Taplin Band . Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking for a great time, this event will have you tapping your feet and singing along. Don’t miss out on an afternoon of classic rock vibes and fresh talent all under one roof!
16:00

Bel Trew: From the Front Lines

The MAC · The Studio · City centre · Talks & books
Details Bel Trew is The Independent's multi award-winning Chief International Correspondent, documentary filmmaker, commentator and photographer. Born and raised in the Gulf and Eastern Europe, Bel has covered some of the biggest conflicts and crises of our time since the start of the Arab Spring in 2011. She is a documentary filmmaker, specialising in uncovering evidence of international law violations and the plight of civilians, making films that range from the disappeared in Ukraine war to the deadly impact of unprecedented aid cuts in sub-Saharan Africa. Bel was named Foreign Reporter of the Year at the UK Press Awards and also won the Marie Colvin Award. She has lived across the world from Cairo to Berlin. Her forthcoming book focuses on reframing war reporting by telling the stories of crises and conflict through the eyes and experiences of the extraordinary ordinary people forced to endure it. Age Guidance: 14+ Programmed as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.
£7.50–9.5014+Tickets & info

Tonight 5

Sunday 1 November 17 listings

Morning 3

10:30

New Irish Shorts – Programme #1

New Irish Shorts – Programme #1 This selection of shorts reflects on rough & rowdy ways. We all find ourselves stuck between a rock and a hard place sometimes, and the answer is not always where we expect to find it, be it in Irish dancing, a 1980s computer game or eating ice cream with an allegedly cursed black cat. Dir. Christopher McSherry, 6mins Housepainter Fergal finds a spot of mould in his bedroom. Nothing a lick of paint wouldn’t fix. But the mould comes back aggressively, and Fergal soon finds himself fighting for his life and his sanity. His battle against the dark crevices of the mind is told through lovingly handmade stop-motion animation. Dir. Damian McCann, 17mins Down on luck and down on life, taxi driver Seán figures now is the time to end it all. When a woman with a black cat jumps in his cab, he finds his luck changing in unexpected ways. This darkly funny take on mortality and superstition unfolds as a tense yet tender two-hander. Dir. Zoe O’Rourke, 15mins This affecting period piece focuses on the relationship between a lonely young girl and her teenage babysitter. Through a shared love of the computer game ZORK, she learns about the big bad world and the urge to run away from it all. Dir. Alex Gill, 10mins A Filipino nurse is late for her shift after picking up her Irish-born daughter. Now stuck in traffic, they butt heads over their different upbringings and perceptions of each other. A smart and incisive examination of diaspora and family. Dir. Eileen Tracy, 16mins Millennial Gemma is right on the verge of getting married when her fiancé breaks things off out of the blue. Depressed and dispirited, she soon discovers a new lust for life after taking on Irish dancing, and finding kindred spirit amongst Gen Z teenagers.
11:00

Look Up! | Walking Tour Sold out

When walking around Belfast city centre we usually don't stop to 'look up' and take the time to 'look up' at some of the fine carvings or ghost signs (signage that alludes to the original usage of the building) above street level. This new tour led by Peter McCabe takes a leisurely stroll around the perimeter of City Hall pointing out features that some of us have walked past literally hundreds of times but have perhaps never noticed. A highlight is the sad story of the bust of Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa, the eldest child of Queen Victoria.

Afternoon 8

12:00

Belfast Street Art Walking Tour

STARTS FROM: OUTSIDE THE DUKE OF YORK, COMMERCIAL COURT, BELFAST START TIME: 12 NOON, (2HR), FINISHING AT BLACK BOX Belfast is a weird, passionate, messed up place. The legacy of our conflict is about more than people, it’s about place. It’s about how the people of Belfast navigate this divided city, and how we build shared spaces for people of all backgrounds to co-exist. If you spend any time in Belfast you’ll know that it’s walls are covered in art. Often this art has been used to mark territory for one side or the other but recently, alongside this, something transformative has been bubbling. Street artists from across the globe have joined a new breed of Belfast based street artists to leave their mark on the city, and in particular in the Cathedral Quarter where the annual festival Hit the North takes place. As curators of this festival Seedhead Arts know the artists, the stories, and perhaps most importantly the need to forge a new narrative for Belfast. Our Street Art Walking Tour forms part of that narrative. This art speaks of love, of laughter, of anger, of beauty and of defiance but most of all it speaks of Belfast and the place that it’s becoming. Join us for a gently paced, two hour walk around the ever changing face of Belfast Street art every Sunday at noon, leaving from the red benches on Commercial Court (beside the Duke of York) For more information email [email protected] SAVE THE PAPER-Show your tickets on your phone- no need to print them!
12:30

New Irish Shorts – Programme #2

New Irish Shorts – Programme #2 Fractures and crossroads run through this programme about history and identity. The past bleeds through and muddies the self in tales of buildings, photographers and pop singers, whereas the Internet infects and alters the societal expectations of tourist traps, outdated messaging boards and same-day deliveries. Dir. Dara Oliver, 11mins A film crew’s arrival in the historic Riddel’s Warehouse awakens the sleeping soul of the building, unlocking the past and releasing the spirits and stories of those who have passed through. A sharply written and thoughtfully composed journey through the echoes of history. Dir. Matthew Hardy, 3mins An essay on fragments/a fragmented tribute to the photographer/rayographer Man Ray. This audacious/ insightful/incisive short captures the spirit of the man/his work with striking beauty and brevity. Dir. Stephen T. Lally, 15mins Sensitive singer/songwriter Bridget is churned through the capitalist machine and becomes CHARITY: a Y2K Pop Princess with a capital P. When she tries to break free from the suffocation of fame and fortune, she is subjected to a surreal odyssey of boy bands, body horror and banging tunes. Dir. Jack Warren, 7mins Trans YouTuber Bailey leaves America for Ireland, but as she documents her new life in Dublin, strange happenings occur in the background. The evil tourist simulacra of Temple Bar on St. Patrick’s Day provides the backdrop for this uncanny odyssey into the dark heart of the Fair City. Dir. Lisa Freeman, 5mins A spoken word meditation on our current culture of convenience and exploitation. Repeated images of racetrack greyhounds and Porky Pig echo and fragment across the screen, distorting our perception of the images and even our understanding of ‘sameday delivery.’ Dir. Heath Virgoe, 11mins Schoolboy Noah finds liberation in the simulation, expressing through an online avatar what he is unable to in real life. This visually inventive and wholesome coming-of-age story harks back to a time when the World Wide Web was still a place for excitement and exploration. Dir. Fergus Boylan, 2mins A lonely civil servant gets a visit from a crooning cowboy in this brief but beautiful animation ruminating on longing and love songs.
14:00

Bette A. & Brian Eno

The MAC · The Main Stage · City centre · Talks & books
Details Why do we need art? In this special event, artist, musician and activist Brian Eno and writer and artist Bette A. explore the ideas behind their acclaimed book What Art Does: An Unfinished Theory . Through conversation, they examine how art is made by all of us; how it creates communities, expands our worlds and has the power to transform how we see the future. Bette A. is on stage and joined by Brian Eno via videolink for this fascinating exploration of the vital role of art in our lives. Programmed as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.
£7.50–9.50Tickets & info
14:00

Look Up! | Walking Tour

When walking around Belfast city centre we usually don't stop to 'look up' and take the time to 'look up' at some of the fine carvings or ghost signs (signage that alludes to the original usage of the building) above street level. This new tour led by Peter McCabe takes a leisurely stroll around the perimeter of City Hall pointing out features that some of us have walked past literally hundreds of times but have perhaps never noticed. A highlight is the sad story of the bust of Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa, the eldest child of Queen Victoria.
14:30

New Irish Shorts – Programme #3

New Irish Shorts – Programme #3 It’s not just you. There’s something wrong these days. You can’t go for a drive, you can’t go for a pint, you can’t even have a bowl of cereal without that inexplicable, unescapable feeling of dread following you around. These films aim for the pit of the stomach. Dir. Paul Kennedy, 7mins In this highly strung experiment in tension, a car stops another car. The drivers talk. Or do they argue? The answers are just out of reach in this unnervingly ambient thriller, featuring uncanny visuals alongside a haunting soundscape. Dir. Tracy Martin, 13mins After being picked up from work, a mother is told a devastating truth that she must keep secret. For the sake of the family. Touching on social media frenzy and male violence, a stomach-churning drama unfolds within the claustrophobic confines of a car. Dir. Olivia Normile, 3mins The act of blinking is considered as a form of editing in this expressive piece rich in texture and imagery. We are presented with a series of striking yet mysterious compositions for a few fleeting moments. Let them seep into your subconscious before it’s too late. Dir. Benedict Godard, 13mins In this aural nightmare, Lily struggles to control her tinnitus while composing the score for an unearthed silent film. She soon discovers something lurking within the celluloid itself, something unnerving that she can’t unhear. Dir. Stuart Drennan, 9mins One lad tells another lad a crazy story about a stranger who snuck into his flat after a night out, and wait ‘til you hear what happened next… A bitta craic over a pint becomes an uncomfortable confrontation and a pointed examination of masculinity and coercion. Dir. Kurt Dean-Darby, 15mins In this delightfully delirious horror, a mysteriously mystic box of cereal arrives in the life of a recovering alcoholic. Though harmless at first, those seemingly wholesome wholegrain hoops soon wreak havoc, leaving blood, guts and milk in their wake. Showings Sunday, 1 November 2026 - 2:30pm @ Black Box Get Tickets →
15:00

Bagpuss and Beyond – the History of Smallfilms

Of all the programming from the “golden age of children’s television” surely no body of work is so fondly remembered as that of Smallfilms. Narrator/animator Oliver Postgate and his artist friend Peter Firmin created worlds together which have endured for generations. Bagpuss is consistently voted the nation’s favourite children’s character, but there were also the Clangers, Ivor the Engine, Noggin the Nog, Pogles’ Wood and many more. Outside of his work for Smallfilms, Firmin also designed and created Basil Brush. Northern Ireland Screen’s Broadcast Archivist, Evan Marshall, presents the whole history of Smallfilms, from its earliest beginnings to its final works and beyond. Illustrated with Firmin’s magical art and clips from the shows themselves, the talk shines a light on the famous works as well as some of the more forgotten chapters of Smallfilm’s history with clips unseen for decades such as Sam on Boffs’ Island and Oliver’s impassioned anti-nuclear 1980s documentary, Life on Earth, Perhaps.
16:00

Sebastian Barry

The MAC · The Main Stage · City centre · Talks & books
Details Regarded as one of the foremost novelists of our time, Sebastian Barry joins Alex Clark to discuss his powerful new book, The Newer World . The author of novels including Days Without End , and The Secret Scripture , Barry was Laureate for Irish Fiction 2018-21 and is a two-time winner of the Costa Book of the Year Award. The Newer World follows the life of Tennyson Bouguereau – freed man, devoted brother, nascent singer, conflicted soldier and wanted man – as he journeys to find meaning and belonging in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Programmed as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.
£7.50–9.50Tickets & info
16:30

New Irish Shorts – Programme #4

New Irish Shorts – Programme #4 How do you define yourself? What makes a self? And what happens when elements out of your control threaten your already slippery sense of self? Our final selection of films meditate on different forms of identity as affected by motherhood, landlords and geopolitical leanings. Dir. Alannah McNamee, 14mins Two women meet in a park, seemingly with nothing in common, yet they forge an unexpected and unshakeable bond. This compassionate piece runs the gamut of human emotion, insightfully touching on love, loss, longing and loneliness. Dir. Katie Bridget Murphy, 11mins In this bright and breezy comedy of yearning and shoe sizes, shy office worker Emily has a crush on her colleague but is too scared to do anything about it. After a chance encounter, she listens to her inner hype-woman and steps into the unknown. Dir. Tanith Mh, 15mins After her evil landlord threatens to evict the entire household, unemployed Steph desperately tries to scrape together the cash to save them all. Begging, busking, betting it all on a cash call, she’ll do anything to keep her house together. Dir. Sam Nutt, 16mins Heather is slowly returning to normality after undergoing a heart transplant, but something is not quite right. Whether it’s in the unknown tune stuck in her head, or the ‘sláinte’ which slips from her lips, she finds herself questioning her entire way of life. Dir. John Michell, 13mins An adaptation of the viral tweet thread by Séamas O’Reilly, this vivid and lively animation tells the true story of a young lad who mixes up his days at work and ends up alone in a room with his boss and the President of Ireland. Oh and he’s also high on drugs.

Tonight 6

18:30

20 Cigarettes

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.
20:00

The Lough Speaks

If we could hear Lough Neagh speak, what would she say? The widely publicised pollution of the lough has been described as a slow death. The build-up of agricultural poison has formed toxic algal blooms that choke the wild inhabitants of the lough and drive the local community from its shores. But Lough Neagh has been part of our world for 400 million years, and borders five of the six counties. People have been benefitting from its resources since the dawn of civilisation, and stories of the lough are woven into the mythological fabric of Ulster and beyond. This live event juxtaposes Northern Ireland’s rich television archive of BBC Northern Ireland and Ulster Television with traditional Irish singing and local journalism to explore the heritage, history and cultural significance of Lough Neagh. With traditional singer Méabh Meir as the voice of Lough Neagh, and spoken word from Tommy Greene , reading from his book, Troubled Waters: How Lough Neagh Is Being Destroyed by Corporate Greed and Political Neglect. Curated by Belfast Film Festival programmer, Rose Baker , and edited by Docs Ireland programmer, Stuart Sloan .

Monday 2 November 5 listings

Morning 1

10:00

BFF / XR Festival: The Baby Factory is Closed

What if the menopause wasn’t an ending, but the beginning of a rebellion? The Baby Factory Is Closed is an award-winning, 20-minute interactive virtual reality story that puts you inside the body of Zoraan, a woman navigating the menopause in a near-future world of A.I. surveillance, climate collapse and systems determined to control her. This is not a quiet story about ageing. It is funny, furious, surreal and unapologetically rebellious. The Baby Factory Is Closed turns the body itself into the battleground. Original music composition by Katie Richardson. Following sold-out international shows in the USA, Canada and France, the work comes home to the Belfast XR Festival. You don’t need to understand VR. You don’t need to have experienced menopause. You just need to be willing to enter Zoraan’s world. Tickets are limited. Come and find out why The Baby Factory Is Closed. This screening uses VR headsets There are 6 tickets available for each half-hour time slot. This event is 16+.

Tonight 4

19:00

BFF / XR Festival: Escape The Internet

A massive multiplayer game, where you and over a hundred strangers are trapped on a mysterious island and must work together with your phones to escape the A.I. apocalypse. Created by legendary director Lucas Rizzotto and built with Pete Cybriwsky. Escape The Internet is a new gaming genre that shatters the 4th wall and takes audience interaction to the next level. Experience wild interactive set pieces, uncover the secrets of the people sitting next to you and evade monsters in a deep mystery full of colourful characters. But move fast, because time is of the essence: every audience member is infected with terminal brainrot and can be possessed by an algorithmic demon at any moment. Your future, and the future of the entire internet, is at stake. You can’t stream it. You can’t play it at home. You have to be here. Bring your fully charged phone. Bring your friends. Escape the Internet. Escape The Internet is presented by BXRF in partnership with IDFA DocLab. Individual tickets are priced at £15. If you are booking for a group of 4, please see our Group of 4 Bundle for 10% off your order! This event is 18+
19:30

Susy Good: Album Launch

The Black Box · Green Room · City centre · Music
Susy Good performs her debut album ‘Lost In Your Glory’ with support from Evie Macdonald Susy Good is a singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland known for her warm vocals, reflective, hope-infused themes, and deeply personal writing. Blending elements of contemporary folk and indie-pop, Susy creates music that explores her Christian faith and love for God. For the past year, she has been working on her debut album with producer and friend Josh Keys, with special guests and friends featuring throughout the record. She will be performing her debut album, ‘Lost In Your Glory ‘, with support from Evie Macdonald in The Green Room Bar at Black Box. This event is 18+