I’m back in Chicago after flying back from Los Angeles following the LA premiere of Belfast and exclusive Critics Choice Association press conference.
Words cannot even begin to explain my thoughts and feelings during these past few days. The fact that both Netflix and Focus were able to pull off these two events and to do it safely is important. It shows that we’re starting to return to normalcy. We might not be completely there just yet but the fact that we’re traveling again is huge. I said it the other day and I’ll say it again: many of us have not see each other in almost two years.
There’s a magical feeling when it comes to cinema and getting to watch these movies on the big screen. It transports us to another place in time—the past, the present, the future. However, there’s something about watching Belfast at the Academy Museum that is so different from all my other movie experiences this year. And yes, this also includes the Chicago International Film Festival screening of Belfast at the Music Box Theatre, a historic venue in and of itself.
For me, the premiere experience is right up there with The Irishman. For total experience factor, I give Belfast the edge because of how many opportunities there were to mingle with Sir Kenneth Branagh, and some of the stars including Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, and Ciarán Hinds. Jude Hill was there, too, but I didn’t get the chance to talk to him at the party. Honestly, I was so busy catching up with friends that I haven’t seen in nearly two years.
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