Kenneth Branagh's 'Belfast' film is everywhere at the minute, but there's dozens of great films which have come from Northern Ireland over the years.
Branagh says as a child he experienced “20 seconds where the world turned upside down”, which provided him with creative inspiration decades later.
The award winning actor and director said he had come to the realisation that the incident had been “the most defining, important event in my own little personal life”.
His semi-autobiographical film Belfast follows a working class protestant family during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
We have taken a look at nine hidden gem Northern Irish films which you might have missed:
Nowhere Special
John, a 35-year-old window cleaner, devotes his life to raising his four-year-old son Michael, as the child's mother left them immediately after his birth. However, John only has a few months to live. Since he has no family to turn to, he spends his remaining days looking for a new and perfect one to adopt Michael.
A tear-jerker if there ever was one, this 2020 film features excellent turns from English actor James Norton and Northern Irish boy Daniel Lamont (who was just six years old during filming). Do yourself a favour and watch this.
Where to watch it: The film is currently available on Sky Cinema or Sky Go
A Bump Along The Way
A wonderful feel-good film which hit the screens just before Covid closed cinemas, A Bump Along The Way centres on a heavy-drinking Derry single mother, played by the incredible Bronagh Gallager, who becomes pregnant at the age of 44 from a one-night stand, much to the mortification of her teenage daughter (Lola Petticrew).
A touching local film which is well worth a watch.
Where to watch it: The film is currently available to buy on YouTube, Amazon Prime or Apple TV.
Shadow Dancer
English actress Andrea Risenborough plays the leading role in Shadow Dancer, a taut political thriller released in 2012. Risenborough's character, Colette McVeigh, is forced to became a British informant during the height of the troubles, compromising her relationship with her family. Co-stars include Gillian Anderson and Clive Owen.
Where to watch it: Shadow Dancer is currently available to buy or rent on Apple TV.
Bad Day For The Cut
Bad Day For The Cut tells the story of a middle-aged Irish farmer who goes on a mission of revenge when his mother is murdered for unknown reasons by a gang.
Leading man Nigel O'Neill gives a hell of a performance in this film, and he's ably assisted by Polish actor Józef Pawlowski, who becomes his sort-of-sidekick as things progress.
Where to watch it: The film is currently on Amazon Prime.
Boys From County Hell
Northern Ireland was long overdue a good vampire comedy-horror film, so Boys From County Hell was welcome when it was released last year.
A comic caper about a trio of cash strapped workmen, led by a conflicted father and son team, who undertake a job in a forbidding and isolated location, only to awaken an ancient Irish vampire in the process.
Where to watch it: The film is available to rent on YouTube.
Black Medicine
Directed by local man Colum Eastwood, Black Medicine follows Jo, a black-market medic who carries out illegal operations for the criminal underworld.
When she gives refuge to a young girl, Jo must choose between breaking her medical oath or crossing her ruthless employers.
Black Medicine stars Derry-born actress Antonia Campbell-Hughes, who recently appeared in the 2016 blockbuster Split and the Irish box-office hit Black '47.
Where to watch it: Black Medicine is currently on Amazon Prime
Wildfire
Wildfire tells the story of two sisters who grew in a town along the border, during the tail-end of the troubles. Directed by Cathy Brady, it was Nika McGuigan's final film.
Nika plays Kelly, the younger sister, who ran away from home following the death of her mother. Kelly then returns to Northern Ireland in the present day - amidst the renewed turmoil along the border created by Brexit - and tries to reconnect with her older sister Lauren (played by Nora-Jane Noone).
Together, they attempt to repair their fractured relationship, as well as deal with the aftermath of their mother's death.
Where to watch it: The film is currently being 'toured' across local cinemas in Northern Ireland. Find out where you can see it here.
Ordinary Love
Starring Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville, Ordinary Love was released in 2019 and went quietly about its business, not really generating a massive amount of attention.
Despite this, the Belfast-based romantic drama was easily one of the best films to ever be made here, featuring both Neeson and Manville giving some of their best performances ever.
It's heartbreaking, absorbing and humorous in many ways. Film critic Mark Kermode rightly called it one of 2019's best films.
Where to watch it: Ordinary Love is currently available to watch on Netflix
An Everlasting Piece
An American comedy film directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson, composed by Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer, and costing - according to reports - £14million to make, An Everlasting Piece was a box office bomb which tells the unlikely story of two wig salesmen, one Catholic and one Protestant, who live in war-torn Belfast in the 1980s.
A complete failure, there were claims that its release in cinemas was intentionally sabotaged by British officials, due to its "sympathetic portrayal" of the IRA.
It may all sound like the fever dream of a Give My Head Peace character, but believe it or not, it's real. And even more incredibly, the movie itself isn't that bad. If you can excuse some bad accents and you have a taste for the bizarre, you'll get a kick out of it.
Where to watch it: The film is currently available to buy on YouTube, Amazon Prime or Apple TV.
