Branagh: Bringing Belfast home

Taal: NL
Categorie: reportage

"Belfast" sees Sir Kenneth Branagh return to his roots in the city of his childhood. It is an autobiographical exploration of the value of family life in the face of the gathering storm that became the Troubles - one which led to him leaving the city. Sir Kenneth Branagh became a household name while still in his twenties for his acclaimed work as an actor and director who breathed new life into the plays of Shakespeare. Later, he spread his wings as a writer and director of feature films. By his own admission, he has come a long way from Belfast - yet his new film sees him return to his formative years in the city with the meticulous monochrome recreation of the tightly packed streets he knew so well. The film's cast includes Dame Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds, Catriona Balfe and newcomer Jude Hill. In this programme, we have gained unique interview access to Sir Kenneth Branagh in which he talks at length about his new film - what drove him to write it, working with the actors and even his refusal to water down the Belfast accent for international distribution. He also discusses his own childhood experiences of being caught up in rioting as both bystander and participant, his parents' zest for life and how leaving the city left a deep mark on him. This is combined with footage from "Belfast" itself. The programme also features footage from red carpet events in both London and Belfast in which we see the impact "Belfast" is having on the film world. We also show some of the BBC archive following Branagh's rise to the very top in both the UK and Hollywood. By showing how far he has travelled from his roots, it is all the more remarkable that he has returned to them in his new film. "Belfast" is heavily tipped for success in the Oscars on March 27th. Producer: Johnny Muir Executive Producer: Nicola Alexander