I AM BELFAST

Northern Ireland, 2015, 80 minutes, Colour.
Helena Bereen, Mark Cousins.
Directed by Mark Cousins.

This is an essay, a cinematic essay, poetic in much of its style, but with an acknowledgement of the social and political realities of Belfast, that draws its audience into the atmosphere of Northern Ireland, its long history, the city of Belfast itself, the Troubles and the contemporary period.

Audiences who can surrender themselves to this experience of Belfast – rather than being self-conscious or over-analysing - will enjoy the experience of such a range of images, styles of photography, landscapes, the building of the city as well is the experience of the Troubles and an encounter with a couple of older ladies, one Catholic, one Protestant, Rosie and Maude, and a range of other characters who are introduced including the last bigoted man in Northern Ireland!

The film uses the device of having an actress, older middle-aged, Helena Bereen, doing an extensive voice-over, being the personification of the city of Belfast, conscious of her many centuries, seen in the streets of the city, making her commentary on this, sometimes wistful sometimes happy and incorporating the poetry.

The images of the Troubles are very powerful, the presence of the British, the unionists, the IRA, the explosions, the fierce faces of people shouting at one another, the explanations of the British Loyalists, the reactions of the more impoverished Catholics, the segregation in the city, and, a particular emphasis on the range of walls that still divide.

However, there is an emphasis on the capacity for people to be friendly, a final episode involving a lady leaving her shopping behind at the bus stop and the driver willingly turning round with the passengers’ consent, to go and pick up the shopping…. A down to earth and pleasant ending.

The film was written and directed by cinema expert and director Mark Cousins, probably best known for his extensive series on history of cinema. He tells us that that he lived in the Belfast for 20 years – and still has his accent and modulation which makes the narration more authentic and pleasant.