Citizens of Belfast turn filmmakers as premiere of The Hearth to hit big screen next week

Taking the pulse of the city in 2024 is a film crafted from footage captured by and starring the people of Belfast which is set to hit the big screen next month, as Belfast Film Festival hosts the world premiere of The Hearth.

The film’s title, The Hearth, reflects the project’s ambition: to portray life’s everyday stories and magical moments on the big screen, in the  spirit of the city sharing a fireside conversation. 

With award winning documentary filmmaker Mark Cousins as the creative lead, around 25 hours of footage has been distilled and shaped into a fascinating 78 minute documentary.  The film features no less than 122 faces and voices of Belfast citizens.

Earlier this year the Film Festival put out a call for people living in Belfast to get involved in the project by filming something about life in their hometown in 2024. Hundreds of submissions came in from all corners of the city, and scores of groups joined storytelling and filmmaking workshops designed to support inclusion. The film was commissioned as part of Belfast City Council’s Belfast 2024 celebration of culture and creativity which has been taking place across the city throughout the year.     

The creative team working on The Hearth alongside Cousins included award-winning filmmaker Alison Millar (Lyra, 2022) local theatre director Paula McFetridge (Kabosh) world renowned composers David Holmes and Brian Irvine and the festival’s CEO, Michele Devlin was the project’s lead producer.

The feature length movie is an experimental documentary that reflects on how far we have come and takes stock of the city in the here and now.  It presents a modern self-portrait of Belfast in 2024, capturing the city's unique character through the lens of its people. It is a mosaic of Belfast talkers, old and young, recounting tall tales or sad ones. Filmed in pubs, community centres, playgrounds and homes, using various cameras and smartphones, the film is spirited, touching and haunting. We meet everything from a donkey in the east to a stuffed parrot in the west.

Tara Lynne O’Neill and Julian Simmons will host the gala screening, as many of the citizens army of filmmakers and stars take their seats at Cineworld in Belfast on Thursday 12th December to see themselves around The Hearth.

The premiere of the film will bring the Belfast 2024 programme to a close, before embarking on its international film festival journey in 2025.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray said:

“The Hearth will bring one of the core themes of our Belfast 2024 programme – our people – to life on the big screen, shining a spotlight on the unique personalities and stories of the citizens who make up our city.

“Belfast has so many rich and diverse voices and each brings their own individual perspective on what living in the city means to them. I can’t wait to see how their contributions have been brought together to provide a snapshot of our wonderful city at this moment in time. Well done to Belfast Film Festival on bringing this vision to life – a great example of creativity engaging with community, which is what our Belfast 2024 programme has been all about.”

The Hearth Creative Lead Mark Cousins said:

"In a darts club, pubs, community centres, bus shelters playgrounds and schools, people chatted, spin yarns and tell stories. Their themes aren't what is in the headlines. Instead, they talk of love, loss, humour, animals and youth. The Hearth is a gathering of edginess and warmth. We have surreal stories on our mind, and, everywhere, the desire to get together for the craic."

Michele Devlin, Belfast Film Festival CEO commented:

"We are grateful to the visionary leaders in Belfast City Council and Northern Ireland Screen for their support of this truly collaborative and experimental filmmaking project.  The pulse of the city here and now, is core to the story arc of The Hearth; inclusion and participation, rawness and authenticity are its heart and soul.  

"A huge thank you to the hundreds of Belfast citizens who participated in The Hearth Project by submitting footage, music, words and animations, and by joining storytelling and filmmaking workshops throughout 2024.  We look forward to seeing you in 2025 as the impact and legacy of the project continues."

Tickets are on sale from https://belfastfilmfestival.org/ - (Link opens in new window)

The Hearth is a Belfast Film Festival film commissioned by Belfast 2024 and supported by Northern Ireland Screen and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.