Ex-MLA Steven Agnew flexes acting skills in new NI movie

The film, which was written and directed by local man Michael MacBroom, is set to premiere at the Belfast Film Festival this Saturday.

Welcome To Northern Ireland, described as a ‘realist tragicomedy’ tells the story of a hapless expat Jonny (played by Agnew) who returns to Northern Ireland after many years away in London.

Upon arrival he is struck by the prosperity and throngs of tourists he sees. Filled with optimism and with the help of some public funding administered through a local businessman and evangelist, he embarks on becoming a tour guide. Meanwhile, he juggles a relationship with a woman whose job it is to accompany those seeking abortions to England.

Steven, who stood down as an MLA in September 2019 and has taken over as head of the Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group, explains why he got involved in the film.

“It’s my third film collaboration with Michael. We’ve been friends going back to sixth form at school. We made our first film called ‘I wanted to talk to you last night’ in 2009 and then when Michael was doing his next feature project, ‘Endless Life. I was in the throes of trying to get elected, so I played a smaller part.

“Then we both had kids and careers in between and one night a couple of years ago we were having a few drinks in my house, it was probably one of those 2am conversations and I asked ‘would you ever want to make a film again?’. When you wake up the next day, you don’t expect anything to come of those conversations, but a year later he came back to me with a script.”

Steven added he has always enjoyed the process of making films, but “doesn’t necessarily consider myself an actor”.

“When we started work on this film, I did take an introduction to acting course. I didn’t learn any great techniques, it really was just doing a bit of role play and practising.”

But he admits he found the bedroom scene in the movie, where he is topless, a “bit cringe-worthy.”

“There’s also a mock sexy dance, so I knowingly make a bit more of a fool out of myself in this film than I have in others. Well, it’s the character who makes a fool of himself.”

Michael MacBroom describes the film as a “carefully composed bittersweet fairy tale, a jilted love letter to Belfast and above all a laugh out loud watch.”

He said he wanted to make a film which explored people’s motivation for visiting Northern Ireland.

Welcome To Northern Ireland will premiere at the Strand Arts Centre and online, on November 21.