Celebrating Northern Ireland’s burgeoning film industry

The Troubles erupted in Northern Ireland suddenly at the end of the 1960s, ushering in decades of tragedy.

Violence peaked in the early 1970s but continued into the mid 1990s, with very serious outbreaks at points in the 1980s.

While this was a traumatic time, the Province tried insofar as possible to continue normal life.

As the years progressed, this became increasingly successful and by the time of the first IRA ceasefire of 1994, Northern Ireland was already on the tourist trail.

Since then, it has become an ever more popular destination for overseas visitors.

They seem to love the atmosphere, the countryside, Belfast, ease of movement between the two, and the accessibility from London (by air), Scotland (by boat) and the Republic of Ireland (by motorway).

They are intrigued by our culture too: the music and the famous bands, and even the more contentious and political aspects such as murals and peaceline tours.

Like the rest of these English-speaking islands, NI punches above its weight in the arts. We have internationally famous musicians, from Van Morrison to Snow Patrol, and globally known actors such as Liam Neeson to Ciaran Hinds.

While the prospect of Northern Ireland having a film and TV industry seemed a remote one a mere 20 years ago, now it makes sense, given the creative talent. The production of Game of Thrones here became a magnet for its fans.

The film Belfast, to be launched next month, reflects the affection for home of names such as Ken Branagh, its director, and Jamie Dornan, one of its stars.

Northern Ireland Screen has listed recent highlights in a burgeoning industry that includes popular dramas such as Bloodlands and Line of Duty.

We need to pay careful heed to what NI doing right to achieve these successes, and do all we can to retain it.

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