"Belfast" (2022)

From the heart of director Kenneth Branagh comes an original screenplay with lots of heart and the mysterious healing power of grief. Set in 1960’s Belfast, amidst The Troubles between Protestants and Catholics among political turmoil, the character of Buddy stands in for a young, only slightly fictionalized version of Branagh himself. Through the eyes of 9-year-old Buddy, the tensions of religious war in Belfast are explored with tenderness and relative simplicity, begging the question, “why can’t we all get along?”

Opening with modern-day images of Belfast, Branagh dissolves into black-and-white, signifying the state of cinema and entertainment in the 1960s, asking to transport the audience back in time from the idyll of Belfast’s current landscape. Reinforcing this intention later in the film comes in the form of a theatrical performance of “A Christmas Carole,” which is shown in color from an on-stage perspective as Branagh sets up a scene between Buddy and Granny, who sit in the audience and are displayed in black-and-white. Here, the actors portraying Scrooge and Marley in color reflect the authenticity of entertainment in that era, before color television and mainstream color cinema. These details, however brief and artistic they may be, challenge the audience’s perception of reality by suggesting what can be described as media philosophy. It’s a poignant reminder of where we’ve been as humans as well as how far we’ve come with exploring human stories in entertainment media.

Such ideas of authenticity are also called into question regarding the film’s source material. Thus far, the film has been widely described as “mostly autobiographical” or some other phrase hinting at the fictionalized and self-filtered version of events Branagh has created through his writing and direction. As a film scholar, one area that I’ve focused my energy on is genre, asking questions of “genre fluidity” and how fiction and documentary filmmaking are reconciled in films. “Belfast” is a beautiful example of how these questions are negotiated among viewers. Only because Branagh has been forthcoming about his childhood experiences during The Troubles do we know the extent of his documentation of those events.

Otherwise, “Belfast” reads like a fictionalized film, mainly seen through the eyes of Buddy. Sometimes the action cuts back and forth, seeing life and the family’s financial troubles through flashbacks. Buddy gains snippets of information about the civil unrest in his neighborhood as well as his family’s burdens, resulting in half-truths that cause anxiety and influence Buddy’s decisions. Time skips between events using evidentiary editing techniques to establish time, place, and exposition between events. “Belfast” firmly reads from Buddy’s perspective and not from that of a third-party viewer, further isolating the film as fiction, although the events depicted come from authentic truth. How are those ideas reconciled? Well, I call it “genre fluidity,” being able to pull apart the details and identify what makes fiction and what makes a documentary. Others call it “mostly autobiographical,” which works, too.

“Belfast” is a film oozing with heart, conflict, longing, and poignancy. As heavy as the events are, something about seeing them from a child’s eyes is enduring and lighthearted. The whole film is not doom and gloom, as much levity is brought to the film by Branagh’s subtle wit and the talent of a stellar ensemble cast. “Belfast” should be regarded as a gem among Branagh’s vast and highly regarded career. No matter what, “Belfast” will always have an asterisk next to its title amongst Branagh’s many films and theatrical productions, whether he’s written, acted, or directed them (and often, has done all three). The asterisk will serve as an annotation regarding “Belfast” as Branagh’s most personal and perhaps poignant work, as a piece of subtle social commentary, self-healing, and healing for his neighbors that also went through fear and anxiety associated with The Troubles.