Kenneth Branagh Returns to ‘Belfast’: How His Autobiographical Film Became an Oscars Frontrunner

At Sunday’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles awards-season event, Belfast writer-director-producer Kenneth Branagh said how thrilled he was by the film’s opening weekend. “Curiously, with the darkness of some of the subject matter, there’s an enormous amount of joy in the story and in the way the characters find humor as a way of trying to deal with the difficulty of the situation. It seems as though the audiences have really responded to that so we’ve had fantastic feedback afterwards.”

soft opening of Pablo Larrain’s “Spencer” last weekend, another Oscar contender had slightly better fortunes this weekend as Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” opened at the indie box office with a release in 580 theaters. Distributed by Focus Features, the black-and-white drama set in Northern Ireland at the onset of The Troubles has earned an estimated $1.8 million opening this weekend for a per theater average of $3,111.

Focus Features, the studio behind Kenneth Branagh’s latest hit movie Belfast, is set to begin campaigning actors for 2022 Oscar nominations soon.

If you didn’t know Kenneth Branagh’s new film “ Belfast ” was based (somewhat) on his own childhood, you probably wouldn’t know it by the end either. That’s a good thing.This isn’t a portrait of the artist as a young man.

Angelique Jackson If you weren’t aware that “Belfast” star Jamie Dornan has vocal chops, prepare to be amazed.On Monday night, Dornan surprised guests with a sweet serenade — performing “Everlasting Love” during the film’s post-premiere reception at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.To clarify, Dornan doesn’t just love to karaoke. The actor, who plays Pa in Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” performs the tune in the film.

Jamie Dornan is showing off his singing skills!

Jamie Dornan is proving to be a multi-talented star.

Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe are stepping out for the premiere of their new movie!

Clayton Davis Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film “Belfast” is opening in theaters this week and has already attracted an immense amount of Oscar buzz, currently sitting as the frontrunner for best picture, director and several other categories.

TORONTO – Before “Belfast” won the Toronto International Film Festival’s prestigious People’s Choice Award, took audience awards at three other fall festivals or landed 11 British Independent Film Awards nominations, Kenneth Branagh and Jamie Dornan sat down with The Playlist to talk about the former’s autobiographical tear-jerker. Masked in a Toronto hotel suite the morning following its TIFF premiere, the conversation occurred during a calm before a growing awards season storm.

Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe are still promoting their hit new film Belfast!

Clayton Davis It’s more than a coincidence that Jamie Dornan took on the role of Pa in “Belfast.” Having been born in the Northern Ireland town, Dornan jumped at the opportunity to take on this deeply personal story, a semi-autobiographical take on Kenneth Branagh’s childhood.Dornan even grew up with a picture of his own father and Branagh in his house. It seems as if Dornan was waiting for the two to finally meet his entire life.

The award-winning film is a poignant story of love, laughter and loss in one boy’s childhood, amid the social and political tumult of the late 1960s. Stars including Jamie Dornan, Caitríona Balfe, Ciarán Hinds and 10-year old Jude Hill joined Branagh on the ‘Belfast’ red-carpet at the ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall.

Irish actress Caitríona Balfe looked sensational as she rocked a suit on the red carpet at the Irish premiere of her new movie Belfast, where she was joined by her co-stars including Jamie Dornan Thursday night.

Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical drama Belfast and Philip Barantini’s single-take title Boiling Point both lead nominations for this year’s British Independent Film Awards with 11 nods a piece.

Caitriona Balfe shines in a silver dress at a special screening of Belfast in London, England on Thursday night (October 28).

Unlike Adapted Screenplay, the Original Screenplay category is not only more competitive but likely more settled. Kenneth Branagh‘s autobiographical “Belfast” is pretty much a lock for a nomination (he earned an Adapted nod for “Hamlet” in 1998) and it’s likely Zach Baylin lands a nod for “King Richard.” Moreover, we have a gut feeling MIke Mills‘ “C’Mon C’Mon” will also make the cut, especially after his nod in this category for “20th Century Women” in 2016.