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Belfast is a coming-of-age story set in a time of increasing turmoil. As a young boy’s cherished hometown is subject to rising religious and political conflict, the movie — nominated for seven Oscars and winner of Best Original Screenplay in 2022 — provides a vignette of a small and quiet life full of familial love, childhood mischief, and a hint of budding romance, at the same time as a developing civil war in the late 1960s.

Unlike many Oscar baits, this movie is easily palatable for the masses. Director Kenneth Branagh does a great job capturing childhood innocence in the face of familial struggle. Faced with troubling circumstances, they must decide to wait out the conflict or leave behind everything they’ve ever known. The weight of the decision is made clear to the audience through simple but beautiful black-and-white shots of everyday life, revealing the strong sense of community shared. Viewers get an earnest glimpse into life in Belfast at such a tumultuous time.

You can watch the film on Netflix.

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