Kenneth Branagh’s virtual return home to celebrate festival

Kenneth Branagh talks about his optimism for the future of the Northern Ireland creative industries, the necessity for the arts at this time, his latest films ‘Death On The Nile’ and ‘Belfast’, as well as giving practical advice to young people starting out in their careers, in a special interview to mark the 11th Belfast Media Festival (BMF) on Thursday.
By Helen McGurk
Published 10th Nov 2020, 14:41 BST
Actor Kenneth BranaghActor Kenneth Branagh
Actor Kenneth Branagh

This session was recorded virtually with Kenneth Branagh in Twickenham Studios and presenter Kathy Clugston asking the questions from Belfast.

Kenneth Branagh may have left the city when he was still a young boy, but he talks about how those early years contributed to who he is today, giving BMF an exclusive insight into his latest film Belfast, which features actors Ciaran Hinds, Jamie Dornan and Dame Judi Dench, and which he describes as ‘auto-fictional’.

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He said: “It’s a very personal film, set partly in Belfast and partly elsewhere, partly set in the past and partly set in the present. I hope that there is humour and I hope that it’s emotional, it’s a look at a people and a place in tumult through the eyes of a nine-year old movie mad kid.”

In regards to the pandemic, he added: “I feel for everybody in our business who has been having a rough time across this lockdown period and I wish them good work in the coming months and years.”

*The interview will be available to view tomorrow at 12.30pm free of charge for those who register for BMF via www.belfastmediafestival.co.uk.

Related topics:BelfastNorthern Ireland

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