Patrick Kielty to make big screen debut at Belfast Film Festival
The world premiere of the homegrown drama Ballywalter, starring Patrick Kielty in his first feature-film acting role, has been selected as the opening film of the 22nd Belfast Film Festival (BFF), which kicks off on 3 November and runs until 12 November.
In Ballywalter, Kielty plays a man doing a weekly stand-up comedy course who develops a touching friendship with a down-on-her-luck taxi driver (Seana Kerslake).
The film was written by East Belfast actor, writer and director Stacey Gregg, whose critically acclaimed first feature, Here Before, premiered at last year’s festival.
Ballywalter is just one of the many cinematic gems that will delight audiences at this year’s BFF, which launches its 2022 programme today at the Crescent Arts Centre.
New programming team Jessica Kiang and Rose Baker have curated a full and exciting programme of premières and gala screenings, panel talks, and special events which showcase the wealth of local talent and shine a spotlight on the best up-and-coming international talent.
This year‘s festival also sees the launch of new awards, which will be presented by a jury of international filmmakers and industry professionals, including BAFTA and Academy-Award-winning auteur Andrea Arnold.
In the International Feature Competition, directors of first or second features will compete to win a prize fund of £10,000. £7,000 will be awarded to the Best Film director, alongside Jury Prizes of £1,500 each for Outstanding Craft Contribution and Breakout Performance.
In the spirit of cross-border collaboration, the festival will close with a joint Irish Premiere with the Cork Film Festival of the highly anticipated Aftersun starring Paul Mescal, which has been generating significant buzz since its world première at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The film is a poignant father-daughter drama written and directed by Charlotte Wells, set in Turkey in the late 1990s.
Festival Passes and Tickets can be purchased at belfastfilmfestival.org
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