18:30
Odeon Belfast
Belfast · 7 approved listings in the next two weeks.
Monday 2 November 2 listings
Tonight 2
20:30
A Little Learning Is a Dangerous Thing
Whilst recovering from a car accident, Michael (played by Funboys’ Ryan Dylan) falls down an internet rabbit hole causing him to fixate on a local business man who is mismanaging a local lough. Although his contempt is well placed, the obsession threatens to overcome him. Director Dominic Curran has enormous fun playing with the blurred lines of truth and conspiracy in this timely debut. In an age where corporate greed has all but won, it’s exciting to watch a film so unabashedly angry at the times we’re living in, as well as the disaffected ennui that has brought us here. Driven by a piercing score and disorienting visuals, this film simulates the sensory overwhelm of life in the digital age, and is a portrait of a young mind unravelling in real time.
Tuesday 3 November 1 listing
Tonight 1
20:30
Hollow Trees
In a post-apocalyptic world, a man and a young boy’s fragile means of surviving faces a new threat in the form of creatures capable of mimicking human sound. Their bond is further challenged by the arrival of a newcomer and the possibility of a better future. We follow their journey as they abandon the familiar; Tom Kerrisk expertly plays a hardened survivor and carer to a young boy played by Louis Kirwan, who brings a sense of real vulnerability to the role. It is an ambitious and at times truly unnerving work of filmmaking from promising young director Cathal Fitzpatrick. Through deft cinematography, the familiar Irish landscape is transformed into an uncanny space as trust, hope and the strength of chosen family are put to the test.
Wednesday 4 November 2 listings
Tonight 2
18:00
ni Independents: Sea of Glass, Bubble, Dark Disquiet
Sea of Glass – dir. Mervyn Marshall – 23 mins Julia, played with quiet precision by Rose Henderson, fills her days beach-combing, gathering treasures and adding them to her collection. However her mind is elsewhere as she stews over her seemingly strained relationship with her granddaughter. Her efforts to connect via calls and voice messages go unanswered, time passes and she falls further into solitude. This film expertly punctuates this journey with the changing of seasons, filmed across eight months, director Mervyn Marshall allows the changes in weather and light to demonstrate Julia’s isolation where she is seemingly suspended in place as the world changes around her. Filmed on location in Maghaberry Prison, Bubble focusses on three women who despite their differences in life experiences, find themselves incarcerated. Through the womens conversations we come to understand the difficulties of life both inside and outside prison walls. Inspired by the lived experience of women within the criminal justice system, it is a timely reflection on issues of domestic violence, addiction and trauma. Director Patricia Downeys 25 years of experience can be felt in this excellently crafted and insular production which allows the performances to shine as they range from moments of humour to intense vulnerability. A struggling mother, Abigail faces tragic consequences following a domestic row concerning her drinking, she is then sent on a voyage into mysterious realms in order to right the wrongs of her actions. Director Sohaib Syed artfully balances surreal moments with psychological tensions, grounding the film in themes of sacrifice, grief and relationship difficulties.
20:30
Rozkvet
Set in occupied Czechoslovakia during WW2, Rozkvet shines a light on the lesser known story of women who stood as a backbone of the resistance against repressive powers. Featuring standout, often first-time performances from Romani actors, and co-created directly with people from the local Roma community, this feature debut from director Thomas Pollock gives voice to the Roma community as a testament to their survival, through a story that is often left out of historical retellings.
Thursday 5 November 2 listings
Tonight 2
18:00
Faraway Home
Karl and Rosa 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.
20:00