Belfast Audio Commentary Kenneth Branagh (Proper English)

Описание: Belfast (2021), written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, is a semi-autobiographical, black-and-white coming-of-age drama that captures a pivotal, turbulent moment in Northern Ireland through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy. The film is set in August 1969 and follows Buddy (Jude Hill), a young, working-class Protestant boy living in a tight-knit, predominantly Protestant neighborhood in Belfast, where Catholic and Protestant families have historically lived side-by-side.
The story opens on a idyllic street scene that is abruptly shattered when a Protestant mob, led by local loyalist Billy Clanton, initiates an attack on the Catholic residents in an effort to force them out of the area. This violent, sudden eruption of "The Troubles" marks the end of innocence for Buddy, who is forced to navigate a world that is becoming increasingly divided and dangerous. As the conflict intensifies, a barricade is erected at the end of the street, changing the once-peaceful, open community into a place of fear and military presence.
Amidst this, Buddy’s family faces profound personal and financial challenges. His father ("Pa," played by Jamie Dornan) works in England as a joiner to support them, returning only sporadically to Belfast. This leaves the responsibility of raising Buddy and his older brother Will to their mother ("Ma," played by Caitríona Balfe), who struggles to keep the family together and manage the household in the absence of her husband. Pa's long absences and the family’s mounting tax debt complicate their situation, causing immense pressure on Ma, who is fiercely protective of her home and skeptical of abandoning her roots, despite the growing danger.
Buddy finds comfort in the love of his grandparents (Granny, played by Judi Dench, and Pop, played by Ciarán Hinds), who offer wisdom and humor amid the chaos. He also grapples with childhood, developing a crush on a Catholic classmate, navigating the complexities of his faith, and finding escape in the magic of cinema and television.
The tension reaches a climax when Billy Clanton pressures Pa to join the "cause" of sectarian violence, threatening his family when he refuses. With the situation becoming unbearable, Pa pushes for the family to abandon their home and emigrate to Australia or Canada to ensure their safety. Ma is deeply conflicted, mourning the potential loss of their community and support network.
Belfast is a nostalgic, yet honest reflection on memory, identity, and the pain of forced migration. It highlights the difficult decision many families had to make: to stay and endure the violence, or to leave behind everything they know for an uncertain future. In the end, the film is a heartfelt, personal eulogy to the place that shaped Kenneth Branagh, balancing the grit of sectarian conflict with the warmth of familial love, ultimately showing how a childhood is shaped by both the beauty of community and the devastation of conflict.