WHAT: Belfast is a semi-autobiographical story written and directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh about the start of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Set in 1969 it tells of the sacrifice made by a family who leave the community they love as it becomes overwhelmed by sectarian violence. The film starring Dame Judi Dench, Caitriona Balfe, Ciaran Hinds, Jamie Dornan and Jude Hill (as a young Branagh) has attracted accolades at film festivals from Telluride to Toronto and is tipped to clean up at this year’s BAFTAs and Oscars. In addition, the film features a score by Belfast-native Van Morrison – which includes eight classic songs and a new song Morrison wrote for the film.

WHY: The 61-year-old Branagh wrote the script, which won a Golden Globe for best screenplay, during lockdown – he said the introspection of that period helped give him a fresh perspective on The Troubles. Speaking to Sky News, Branagh explained: “It wasn’t personal therapy, it was really to see whether the story of a family in a difficult situation – where humour and all the other coping mechanisms we come up with to try and deal with difficult times – could speak to other people. We chose to have the point of view of a nine-year-old boy and, in so doing, we didn’t cop out, I don’t think, but we avoided trying to get into what you might call politics in the overt sense.

I’ve gone back and I’ve identified some key real experiences, the riot that I was part of, the looting of a supermarket that I got dragged into, various other minor criminal activities, like trying to steal Turkish delight, which failed entirely. It’s not to be so naive, it’s not to be infantilised or simply nostalgic or sentimental, but sometimes to try and look at the world, or maybe a very familiar or even over-familiar problem like The Troubles, from a fresh perspective and cinema – at this end of my career anyway – gave me a chance that I thought was very unusual from a position of authenticity.”

WHO: The glittering cast includes Jamie Dornan (as the penniless Pa). Speaking of the film, he told The Times: “It’s a different take on that part of the world than we’ve seen before – not to detract from what Jim Sheridan did with In The Name of the Father or what Steve McQueen did with The Hunger – they’ve all got their place, and they’re great. But this is just seeing it through a different lens. As someone who is from Northern Ireland [Dornan grew up in Holywood] I think it’s really important to constantly offer up a different perception of what it’s like – it’s not all men in mask doing bad things. I’ve travelled the world for 20 years trying to explain to people that it’s a great place.” Standout moments include Dornan singing Everlasting Love in a nightclub; the chemistry with his co-star Caitriona Balfe is palpable.

Balfe, known for her role in Outlander playing the time-travelling heroine Claire Fraser for six series is tipped for Oscar success for her role as Ma – she has been nominated for best supporting actress at the SAG Awards. In this role, the former Chanel, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton model, who studied drama at Dublin Institute of Technology in Rathmines, is torn between the fear of leaving her home in Northern Ireland and the desperation to keep her family safe. Having grown up in Monaghan with an awareness of The Troubles Balfe told Vanity Fair, “As an Irish person, you read so many of these scripts about The Troubles, and they all have this romantic version of the violence. It always upsets me, because I don’t think that’s something that should be romanticised. And here was a script that really focused in on the family and on the people and the communities that are affected.”

Originally from Armagh, ten-year-old Jude Hill is undoubtedly the break out star of the film. He was chosen over 300 other applicants for the role of Buddy – he was helped to find his place in Belfast thanks to Shelley Lowry, a talent manager for young actors in Northern Ireland. It’s through Buddy’s eyes we see The Troubles unfolding, as well as his touching relationship with his grandparents (played by Dench and Hinds) and love of comics and the cinema. Hill has been nominated for best young actor at the 27th Critics Choice awards.

AND … Do take some tissues and don’t leave before the final credits roll – they’re especially poignant.