Director Mark Cousins has spent a career melding the personal and observational, and the historical and the dramatic in his films, creating a distinct body of work that is entirely his own. But for his latest “I Am Belfast” he gets help from some terrific talent to weave together the docu-drama in what looks to be a stirring concoction.
Shot by Christopher Doyle (“In The Mood For Love,” “2046”), and scored by David Holmes (“Ocean’s Eleven” trilogy, “Hunger,” “Haywire”), as the title suggests, “I Am Belfast” is a loving portrait of the titular city. Here’s the official synopsis:
Creative documentary done in a style unique to Mark Cousins – a visual, poetic depiction of Belfast and its citizens, told with love and passion of someone, who has left the city many years ago but is still fascinated by it. The film personifies Belfast and portrays it as an experienced gentle, older woman (played by Helena Bereen), who has seen, and accepted it all. She leads the viewers through the changing landscape of Belfast and spins a tale of its history, while addressing philosophical questions about the nature of man and about a city as an urban phenomenon.
“I Am Belfast” will debut stateside at SXSW next month, and open in the U.K. on April 8th. Watch below.