Kenneth Branagh's Belfast Comes to Hastings
A coming-of-age comedy-drama set in 1969 Belfast, Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical film tells the story of a young boy navigating the challenges of his family, friends, and community during the Troubles. With a talented cast, clever script, and historical significance, Belfast is a heartwarming and engaging film that explores themes of identity, community, and resilience.
Dir: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Jude Hill, Jamie Dornan, Caitríona Balfe, Lewis McAskie, Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds, Lara McDonnell, Colin Morgan
98 mins · 2021 · United Kingdom, Northern Ireland · Cert 12A · English, Portuguese
IMDb 7.2/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 86% · Metacritic 75/100 · TMDB 7/10 · Trakt 74%
Awards: Won 1 Oscar. 63 wins & 259 nominations total
Kenneth Branagh's film, Belfast, will be screened at the ODEON Hastings, Hastings, from Saturday, 31 October 2026, to Friday, 6 November 2026. The film is a 97-minute comedy-drama that follows the story of a young boy growing up in Belfast during the Troubles.
What is the film about? Belfast is a coming-of-age story that explores the challenges of growing up in a tumultuous time, as a young boy navigates his relationships with his family and friends, and learns valuable lessons about loyalty, courage, and human connection.
Who made the film and who's in it? The film was written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, and stars Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe, Jude Hill, Judi Dench, and Ciarán Hinds.
What kind of film is it? Belfast is a drama and history film, set in the UK and Ireland, with a runtime of 97 minutes, and a certificate of 12A. The film has received widespread critical acclaim, with scores of 7.2/10 on IMDb, 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75/100 on Metacritic, 7/10 on TMDB, and 74% on Trakt. Tickets are with the button beside the article.
Stills
What viewers say
2016moonlight · 7/10
“Why did you take that washing powder?” “It’s biological.” And I believe in Caitríona Balfe supremacy.
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menellys · 9/10
Was lucky enough to snag tickets to this at London Film Festival. It’s been over a month now since I saw it and the scene featuring Everlasting Love has been living in my head rent free ever since. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone that can’t relate to the family in some way. Best ensemble and picture? Here’s hoping because the cast worked seamlessly together and their bond on and off screen is evident…
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Saint Pauly · 6/10
Like CGI photos of your childhood: technically well-made, but too polished to feel authentic. I'm sure this semi-autobiographical film was a passion project for Kenneth Branagh and I'm glad he could get it off his cinematic chest, but, tbh, I was more into the brief, vintage news clips they showed in the background. Now let's see a film based on the Boney M. song...
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vinylpooch · 6/10
This wasn't bad but I feel the Buddy character was, largely, ripped off from Jojo Rabbit.
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BraylonMitch07 · 7/10
This film is clearly going onto win Best Picture and not a single other contender can stand in it’s way. It’s a film built to sweep the Oscars/all other award shows. Sure it’s flawed but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t one of the most immersive and throughly enjoyable films of the year.
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r96sk · 8/10
A swell little film, this. I may not have a connection to the events portrayed onscreen, but 'Belfast' is - despite the not so good true events that it's retelling - is a pleasant film to watch. With a perfectly timed length of around 90 minutes, this 2021 flick holds a lot of heart - it's also rather funny, it had me laughing a fair number of times. The star of the film is undoubtedly youngster Jude Hill, who is an absolute joy in the role of…
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Obione_TdG · 5/10
Too brief and fast, the plot is not developed enough. The idea, by looking at the trailer, was to get emotionally engaged with the boy, his family and the environment, but this does not happen while watching the film, which mostly passes without giving any interesting emotion or insight on the situation. And, at the end, the behavior of the boy does not seem too affected with what is happening around him, neither critically nor emotionally. Nor…
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Aryion · 7/10
Belfast A very fine dramatic autobiographical film about the director's childhood in a past Belfast set during the Northern Irish conflict. One thing I particularly loved about the film are the shots: I've only seen Thor by Branagh so far, so I'm not familiar with his directing style, but some shots I found particular, out of the ordinary, innovative. A bit 'reminded me of the style of Wes Anderson with various close-ups. The film does not…
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